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British-Nigerian actor Damson Idris has officially joined the Formula 1 family as a Global Brand Ambassador, marking a significant crossover between entertainment and motorsport. The announcement comes after Idris starred alongside Brad Pitt in F1: The Movie, which became the highest-grossing sports film of all time, earning over $630 million globally.

Idris, who played rising driver Joshua Pearce in the film, filmed key scenes at live Grands Prix with full F1 collaboration, giving him first-hand experience of the sport’s intensity, precision, and innovation. This hands-on exposure turned his on-screen passion into genuine advocacy for Formula 1.

Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said:

“Following his starring role in F1: The Movie, which helped bring our sport to new audiences, Damson is joining us as an official Global Brand Ambassador. With his incredible platform in entertainment and lifestyle, together we will push the boundaries of how we reach fans.”

Idris added:

“I’ve always been drawn to spaces where culture, performance, and precision meet, and Formula 1 sits right at the centre of that. Being part of this world now means a lot to me, and I’m proud to represent something that inspires and connects people all over the world.”

As Global Brand Ambassador, Idris will attend multiple Grands Prix and participate in content initiatives, partner campaigns, and promotional activities, aiming to attract a new wave of fans to the sport.

Netflix has officially withdrawn from the bidding race for Warner Bros. Discovery, clearing the path for Paramount Skydance to move closer to securing the deal.

In a statement addressing the development, Netflix executives said the streaming giant would not match Paramount Skydance’s revised offer, noting that “at the price required to match Paramount Skydance’s latest offer, the deal is no longer financially attractive.”

The decision effectively ends Netflix’s pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery, one of Hollywood’s most influential media companies, and positions Paramount Skydance as the leading bidder in the high-stakes acquisition battle.

According to reports, Paramount Skydance significantly improved its offer in recent days, prompting Warner Bros. Discovery’s board to determine that the proposal constituted a “superior offer” under the terms of its agreement.

The revised bid reportedly includes enhanced financial terms designed to appeal to shareholders, strengthening Paramount’s position in the race. With Netflix opting not to increase its offer, the competitive tension surrounding the deal has effectively subsided.

For Netflix, the withdrawal signals a disciplined financial strategy rather than a retreat under pressure. Executives indicated that matching Paramount’s valuation would stretch the economics of the transaction beyond acceptable thresholds.

The streaming leader has historically prioritized profitability and measured expansion, and sources suggest the company was unwilling to overpay in an increasingly competitive and capital-sensitive media environment.

If finalized, the acquisition would mark a significant consolidation move in the entertainment industry. Warner Bros. Discovery controls major global brands including HBO and CNN, alongside an expansive film and television library.

An integration with Paramount Skydance could reshape content pipelines, distribution strategies, and streaming competition worldwide.

With Netflix out of the running, attention now turns to regulatory review and shareholder approval processes. While final terms and timelines have yet to be publicly detailed, further clarity is expected in the coming weeks.

For now, Paramount Skydance appears set to secure one of the most consequential media deals of the year, as Netflix steps aside from what has become an increasingly expensive contest.

As Afrobeats continues its transformation from regional sound to global export, YouTube has become one of the clearest markers of long-term fan loyalty. Beyond streaming numbers and chart placements, subscriber counts reveal something deeper: sustained audience commitment.

Based on 2025–2026 data compiled from channel analytics trackers and industry reports, five Nigerian artists currently dominate YouTube’s subscriber rankings and the margins between them tell an important story about momentum, virality, and global positioning.

1. Burna Boy: 5.4–5.7 Million Subscribers

Burna Boy remains the most-subscribed Nigerian musician on YouTube in early 2026.

With reported figures ranging between 5.43 million and 5.7 million subscribers, the Grammy winner continues to convert global acclaim into digital loyalty. His channel houses high-production music videos, tour documentation, festival performances, and official releases including material from I Told Them….

More significantly, his total views reportedly exceed 3 billion, a milestone that reinforces not just popularity but sustained visual consumption across continents.

Burna’s dominance reflects consistency. His audience does not spike only during album cycles; it remains active between releases.

2. Rema: 4.9–5.4 Million Subscribers

If there is a serious challenger to the top spot, it is Rema.

With subscriber counts estimated between 4.97 million and 5.38 million, the gap between him and Burna Boy has narrowed considerably. The global success of “Calm Down”, particularly its international remix run, continues to drive discovery traffic to his channel.

Rema’s strategy leans heavily on youthful branding, global collaborations, and steady visual output. His growth curve suggests that YouTube is becoming a core pillar of his international expansion.

If momentum continues at its current pace, the number one position may soon face real competition.

3. Davido: 4.6–4.9 Million Subscribers

Davido remains firmly in the top three, with subscriber figures hovering between 4.6 million and 4.91 million.

Unlike some peers whose channels focus strictly on polished visuals, Davido blends official videos with personality-driven content. Behind the scenes moments, collaborations, and lifestyle elements contribute to his engagement levels.

His YouTube presence complements his strong performance across DSPs, maintaining his reputation as one of Afrobeats’ most commercially consistent figures.

4. CKay: 4.1–4.3 Million Subscribers

CKay’s ranking reflects the long tail of global virality.

Following the international explosion of “Love Nwantiti,” his channel subscriber base has stabilized between 4.14 million and 4.31 million. What stands out is retention. Many viral artists struggle to convert momentary attention into sustained subscription growth.

His hybrid Afrobeats-R&B sound and steady output have allowed him to maintain a strong global audience well beyond the peak of a single record.

5. Wizkid: 3.3–3.5 Million Subscribers

Wizkid closes the top five with approximately 3.34 million to 3.5 million subscribers on his primary channel.

Wizkid’s digital presence extends beyond one official channel, with features, label uploads, and collaborative visuals dispersed across platforms. While his subscriber count may not lead, his global catalog performance and cultural footprint remain immense.

This ranking reflects channel concentration not influence.

Samsung Electronics has unveiled the Galaxy S26 series, introducing what it calls the world’s first built-in Privacy Display on a smartphone, with the feature exclusive to the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

The announcement was made during Samsung’s 2026 Galaxy Unpacked event. The Privacy Display is designed to prevent people nearby from seeing a user’s screen content, offering protection in public spaces such as buses and offices. Unlike traditional stick-on privacy films, this technology is fully integrated into the phone’s display.

Samsung’s built-in privacy technology operates at the pixel level, dynamically controlling how light is emitted from the screen. In standard mode, the display functions like a typical flagship phone, offering wide viewing angles and full colour accuracy. In privacy mode, side angles are restricted, making the content visible only to the person directly in front of the screen.

The feature also allows users to: Toggle privacy mode manually from quick settings, Automatically activate privacy for selected apps or sensitive actions, such as entering PINs or passwords and Choose between partial privacy (hiding notifications or selected content) and maximum privacy, which blocks all side-angle viewing

The Privacy Display addresses “shoulder surfing” a common problem for smartphone users in public settings while maintaining the device’s premium display quality.

The Galaxy S26 series, including the S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra, is set to be released globally beginning March 11, 2026. The Ultra model, which includes the Privacy Display, comes with other flagship upgrades, including enhanced AI tools and camera improvements. Pricing for the Galaxy S26 Ultra starts around $1,299 in the United States per reports, with regional variations expected.

The 24th Annual Visual Effects Society (VES) Awards took place on February 25, 2026, in Los Angeles, celebrating excellence in visual effects across film, television, animation, commercials, games, and immersive experiences.

Widely regarded as one of the most prestigious honors in the global VFX industry, the VES Awards recognize the artists and technical teams behind some of the year’s most visually ambitious productions. This year’s ceremony reflected the expanding scope of visual storytelling from blockbuster cinema to streaming series, animated features, and real-time interactive media.

Below is the full list of major winners from the 2026 ceremony.

Feature Film Categories

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature 

Winner: Avatar: Fire and Ash

Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature

Winner: Sinners

Outstanding Animation in an Animated Feature

Winner: KPop Demon Hunters

Television & Episodic

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode

Winner: Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age — “The Big Freeze”

Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode

Winner: The Residence — “The Fall of the House of Usher”

Real-Time, Commercial & Special Venue

Outstanding Visual Arts in a Real-Time Project

Winner: Ghost of Yōtei

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Commercial

Winner: BMW — “Heart of Joy | Meet Okto the Octopus”

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project

Winner: Sphere presentation of The Wizard of Oz

Character Awards

Outstanding Character in a Photoreal Feature

Winner: Avatar: Fire and Ash — Varang, Leader of the Ash Clan

Outstanding Character in an Animated Feature

Winner: KPop Demon Hunters — Rumi

Outstanding Character in an Episodic or Real-Time Project

Winner: IT: Welcome to Derry — The Pickle Monster

Environment Awards

Outstanding Environment in a Photoreal Feature

Winner: Avatar: Fire and Ash — Bridgehead Industrial City

Outstanding Environment in an Animated Feature

Winner: Zootopia 2 — Marsh Market

Outstanding Environment in an Episodic or Real-Time Project

Winner: Andor — The Senate District

Technical Achievement Categories

Outstanding CG Cinematography

Winner: Avatar: Fire and Ash

Outstanding Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project

Winner: Avatar: Fire and Ash — The Windtraders’ Gondola

Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature

Winner: Avatar: Fire and Ash

Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature

Winner: KPop Demon Hunters

Outstanding Special (Practical) Effects in a Photoreal Project

Winner: Andor — “Who Are You?”

Outstanding Compositing & Lighting in a Commercial

Winner: BMW — “Heart of Joy | Meet Okto the Octopus”

Emerging Technology Award

Winner: Avatar: Fire and Ash — Kora Fire Toolset

Special Honors

The ceremony also recognized long-standing contributions to the craft:

VES Lifetime Achievement Award

Winner: Jerry Bruckheimer

Visionary Award

Winner: Richard Taylor

The 24th Annual Visual Effects Society (VES) Awards delivered a clear frontrunner for this year’s awards season conversation. Avatar: Fire and Ash, directed by James Cameron, emerged as the night’s biggest winner, taking home seven awards and reaffirming the franchise’s technical supremacy in modern cinema.

Nigerian music star Tiwa Savage has officially unveiled the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation, a new initiative focused on empowering emerging African creatives through access, mentorship, and world-class music education.

The announcement was made via her official Instagram handle, where she described the move as a full-circle moment after years of building an international career. “After years of building globally… It’s time to build at home,” she wrote.

According to the foundation’s introduction, the initiative is dedicated to supporting emerging and underrepresented creatives across the continent. The goal is to equip young artists with the skills, industry knowledge, confidence, and professional networks needed to thrive in today’s competitive music landscape.

As part of its launch, the foundation is partnering with Berklee College of Music in the United States for a four-day intensive programme. The programme will provide selected participants with hands-on training in songwriting, performance, music production, and the business side of music.

Tiwa Savage teased that further announcements are expected, urging followers to stay tuned for a major update. With anticipation building around the initiative, more details regarding application processes, programme structure, and long-term plans are likely to be revealed soon.

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The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has officially revealed its nominees for the Class of 2026, setting up one of the most stylistically diverse ballots in recent memory.

From classic rock and heavy metal to R&B, hip-hop, and global pop, this year’s list reflects the institution’s ongoing evolution and its widening definition of what “rock and roll” represents.

Inductees will be announced in April 2026, with the official ceremony scheduled for later in the year.

The Full List of 2026 Nominees

The artists nominated for induction are:

The Black Crowes
Jeff Buckley
Mariah Carey
Phil Collins
Melissa Etheridge
Lauryn Hill
Billy Idol
INXS
Iron Maiden
Joy Division / New Order
New Edition
Oasis
P!nk
Sade
Shakira
Luther Vandross
Wu-Tang Clan

The Rock Hall has increasingly embraced a broader interpretation of its mission, inducting artists across genres beyond traditional rock. The 2026 ballot continues that trajectory.

Hip-hop’s influence is represented by Wu-Tang Clan and Lauryn Hill. R&B and soul appear through Mariah Carey, Luther Vandross, Sade, and New Edition. Meanwhile, rock traditionalists will point to Iron Maiden, Oasis, The Black Crowes, and Billy Idol.

Jeff Buckley’s nomination underscores the Hall’s recognition of short but culturally significant careers, while Joy Division/New Order represents one of the most influential transitions in alternative music history from post-punk to synth-driven new wave.

The inclusion of Shakira highlights the growing acknowledgment of global pop influence, while Sade’s nomination carries particular resonance across the UK, US, and Africa. For Nigerian audiences, Sade remains one of the most internationally successful artists of Nigerian heritage.

Artists become eligible for nomination 25 years after the release of their first commercial recording. From this ballot, a select number will be voted into the Class of 2026.

The final inductees will be announced in April 2026, followed by a ceremony later in the year.

The Nigeria film industry achieved a major global milestone with The Black Book  in 2023. Directed, produced, and co-written by Editi Effiong under Anakle Films, this crime thriller became the first Nigerian movie to reach No. 3 on Netflix’s worldwide film charts. It amassed over 20 million views in its opening weeks, appearing in the Top 10 in more than 69 countries.

The story centers on Paul Edima (played by Richard Mofe-Damijo), a former government hitman now living as a deacon. When his son is framed for a kidnapping and murdered by a corrupt police gang to cover up high-level corruption, Paul returns to his violent past to seek justice and revenge. The narrative explores themes of police brutality, government corruption, redemption, and the fight for justice in contemporary Nigeria.

The cast featured Nollywood veterans including Richard Mofe-Damijo in the lead, alongside Ade Laoye, Sam Dede, Shaffy Bello, Alex Usifo, Olumide Oworu, Kelechi Udegbe, Iretiola Doyle, Femi Branch, and Taiwo Ajai-Lycett. Made on a budget of approximately $1 million considered substantial for a Nigerian production; the film emphasized high production values, including Panavision lenses, to meet international standards.

With international partnerships, a broadened cast, and a deeper narrative arc, Old Scores signals a bold evolution not just for the franchise, but for Nollywood’s positioning on the world stage.

The Black Book 2: Old Scores, announced by Anakle Films in February 2026, Editi Effiong returns as writer and director. The project partners with Emmy-nominated producer Nicky Weinstock (known for Apple TV+’s Severance) through his Invention Studios, alongside producer Mimi Bartels. Principal photography has wrapped according to reports, and the film is in post-production, with a theatrical release planned in Nigerian cinemas. However, no exact date or streaming details have been confirmed. 

The cast announcement revealed a stacked ensemble blending returning stars and new additions:

• Richard Mofe-Damijo (returning as Paul Edima)
• Kate Henshaw
• Bright Okpocha (Basketmouth)
• Shaffy Bello (returning)
• Alex Usifo (returning)
• William Benson
• Masami Kosaka
• Rick Kiesewetter
• Soibifaa Dokubo
• Mallum Arik
• Sola Fosudo
• Ejike Asiegbu
• Bob-Manuel Udokwu
• Emeka Okoye
• And others including Chidi Ajufo, Awe Ayobami, and more.

Production scaled up significantly, involving a 300-strong crew from Nigeria, the US, UK, China, Japan, and beyond, marking one of the largest Nigerian productions to date and aiming for even greater global impact.

A reboot of the iconic sci-fi series The X-Files is officially moving forward at Hulu, with filmmaker Ryan Coogler attached to write and direct the pilot episode, marking his first television directing credit, while also serving as an executive producer.

The project has now taken a major step forward with the casting of Danielle Deadwyler as one of its two central leads.

The series is being produced by 20th Television, which controls the franchise rights, alongside Coogler’s production company Proximity Media. Original creator Chris Carter remains attached as an executive producer, maintaining a creative bridge to the original franchise.

The X-Files debuted in 1993 and became one of television’s most influential sci-fi dramas, blending paranormal investigations with government conspiracy. The series followed FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully as they explored unexplained phenomena across the United States.

The upcoming reboot is expected to reimagine the core premise for a new generation, centering on two contrasting FBI agents investigating mysterious and unexplainable cases. While specific character details remain under wraps, reports indicate Deadwyler will portray one half of the investigative duo. Casting for the second lead has yet to be announced.

Danielle Deadwyler has steadily built a reputation as one of the most compelling dramatic performers of her generation. She received widespread acclaim for her performance in Till and has appeared in projects including The Piano Lesson, Carry-On, and I Saw the TV Glow.

Ryan Coogler, best known for directing Black Panther and Creed, has steadily expanded his presence in television production in recent years. His involvement signals a prestige approach to the reboot, positioning it as a serious creative reworking rather than a simple continuation.

He will serve as executive producer alongside his Proximity Media partners, while Carter is attached in a non-writing executive producer capacity, maintaining a connective thread to the original franchise.

The series will be showrun by Jennifer Yale, whose credits include work on See, Legion, Dexter: New Blood, and The Copenhagen Test. Yale’s experience in serialized genre storytelling provides experienced television oversight to balance Coogler’s feature-film background.

Meanwhile, Carter’s continued executive producer role ensures continuity with the franchise’s mythology, though he is not expected to be involved in day-to-day writing.

When The X-Files first premiered in 1993, it became one of television’s most influential sci-fi dramas. The series ran for nine seasons before concluding in 2002, later returning for revival seasons between 2016 and 2018. It reshaped genre television, blending paranormal investigations with government conspiracy arcs and philosophical debates about belief, truth, and institutional secrecy.

Original stars like Gillian Anderson, who portrayed Dana Scully, have previously expressed conditional openness to revisiting the universe under the right creative circumstances. However, no legacy casting has been confirmed for the reboot.

MGM+ has officially renewed Robin Hood for Season 2, according to a report by Variety. Like its debut installment, the upcoming season will consist of 10 episodes.

The renewal comes as the series continues to position itself as one of MGM+’s flagship historical dramas, blending political tension, romance, and war-time trauma into a darker, character-driven interpretation of the Robin Hood myth.

Season 2 is expected to expand beyond the forests of Nottingham, widening its political landscape and deepening the ideological battle at the heart of the story. If Season 1 focused on Robin’s return from war and his awakening to corruption at home, the next chapter appears set to explore the cost of rebellion both personally and nationally.

The series follows a young, hardened Robin who returns to England disillusioned, only to find his homeland gripped by tyranny. As resistance forms, the line between hero and outlaw continues to blur.

Jack Patten leads the series as Robin, with Lauren McQueen portraying Marian. Sean Bean co-stars as the Sheriff of Nottingham, adding gravitas to the show’s central conflict.

Showrunner John Glenn is set to return for Season 2, maintaining continuity in tone and storytelling as the drama scales up.

Robin Hood has stood out for its grounded, politically charged approach. Rather than leaning heavily on folklore spectacle, the series frames its story through power struggles, loyalty, and moral ambiguity.

By sticking to a 10-episode structure again, MGM+ appears committed to a tight, cinematic format rather than stretching the narrative thin.

An official premiere date for Season 2 has not yet been announced, but production is expected to begin later this year.