Insights from Around the Globe: CAA’s Take on the UK Market, Prime Video’s Webnovel Success, and Netflix’s French Ventures
As the holiday season approaches, Insider delivers its final edition of the year. Jesse Whittock shares insights as 2025 draws to a close, with plans to return on January 9, 2026. This edition marks the conclusion of the year’s coverage.
CAA Analyzes UK Market
L to R: Amelia Dimoldenberg, KSI, Jolie Sharpe
Samir Hussein/WireImage / James Fearn / Stuart C. Wilson/Getty for AELTC
Prime Video Expands Young Adult Genre Offerings
Watch on Deadline
Prime Video
Webnovel Strategy Unveiled: Prime Video announced its new young adult title, Follow My Voice (Sigue Mi Voz), set to launch on January 2, 2026. In an interview with María Contreras from Amazon MGM Studios Spain, she noted the strong demand for content in this genre: “We’ve seen how hungry viewers are for content in this space—the response to Culpables or The Summer I Turned Pretty proved that.” The film, which was first reported over two years ago, tells the story of a young woman, played by Berta Castañé, who questions her feelings for a voice she constantly hears on the radio. Webtoon Productions executives described the adaptation of the story, originally a webnovel by Ariana Godoy, observing that diverse creators worldwide are reshaping traditional narratives. “It comes from creators from all around the world with such unique voices who are not listening to the traditional mandates of Hollywood, CAA, or HarperCollins on what works and what doesn’t work,” commented Jason Goldberg, Global President of Film at Webtoon Productions.
Ted Sarandos in Paris
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos at the premiere of ‘Emily in Paris’ Season 5 in Paris on Monday
Canal+ Unveils New Content in Paris: This week in Paris, pay-TV provider Canal+ showcased upcoming theatrical films, including Les Miserables and Asterix, along with new television series featuring stars such as Tewfik Jallab and Nomzamo Mbatha. A highlight of the event was an interview between Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos and Canal+ CEO Maxime Saada. Saada noted, “You convinced the French to pay for TV,” referring to Netflix’s impact on pay-TV penetration in France, which rose from 30% before the platform’s launch in 2014. Sarandos acknowledged that Netflix must continually provide quality content to justify subscription fees. He reaffirmed Netflix’s commitment to respecting theatrical windows, discussing plans to release Warner Bros. films post-acquisition, a $83 billion deal currently in process. In a separate appearance, Sarandos visited the Warner Bros. lot for a tour with fellow co-CEO Greg Peters, guided by Warner Bros. Discovery President David Zaslav.
The Essentials
Jonathan Bailey and Ariana Grande
Michael Buckner for Deadline/Getty
🌶️ Upcoming Collaboration: Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey are reportedly in the early stages of reuniting for a revival of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s musical, Sunday in the Park With George.
🌶️ New Rights Agreement: Sky has secured UK and Ireland rights for the hockey drama Heated Rivalry, shortly after news broke about the show’s second season.
🔫 BBC Negotiations Commence: The BBC is set to initiate charter renewal discussions following a week that included a lawsuit filed against them for $10 billion by former President Donald Trump.
🤖 Industry Insights: A column by Jake explored animators’ reactions to Disney’s recent partnership with OpenAI.
✊ Union Vote: Members of Equity have overwhelmingly voted to reject digital scans in a significant ballot conducted by the UK performers’ union.
🗣️ In-Depth Interview: An interview with CME chief executive Sam Barnett was conducted to discuss trends in European broadcasting, streaming, and networking with Czech celebrities.
🪲 Reopening Plans: The Cinémathèque Française, a prominent film institution, will reopen its cinemas on January 2 after a closure due to a bed bug infestation.
👋 Agency Split: The Indian talent agency Dharma Cornerstone Agency has formally separated, with Karan Johar launching his segment as Dharma Collabs Artists Agency.
⬇️ Leadership Change: Rowan Woods is stepping down as Creative Director of the Edinburgh Television Festival after two years in the role.
⛺ Festival Line-Up Announced: The 2026 International Film Festival Rotterdam has revealed its competition lineup, including Charlotte Glynn’s The Gymnast.
🍿 Box Office Projections: The global box office is estimated to reach $35 billion in 2026 according to projections from Gower Street.
🕯️ Obituary: Susie Figgis, a renowned casting director behind films such as Gandhi and The Full Monty, has passed away at age 77.
🎄 Season’s Greetings from the Insider team. We will return on January 9, 2026.
