Latest news with #RoosterTeeth
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Warner Bros. Discovery's Max Scraps Plan to Launch Separate Sports Tier
Say farewell to new streaming concepts like 'B/R Sports' and 'CNN Max.' They will vanish before we ever really got to know them. Warner Bros. Discovery reversed plans announced in September of 2023 to launch a premium tier for sports programming on Max, and said it also would end an experiment called 'CNN Max' that attempted to create a new CNN tier for subscribers to the streaming service. More from Variety Streaming-Era Commercials Invade Forbidden TV Territory: Presidential Debates, HBO Shows and Other Content Once Deemed Off-Limits Puppy Bowl Ratings: 12.8 Million Viewers for Animal Planet's 2025 Dog Adoption Event Rooster Teeth Lives! Co-Founder Burnie Burns Buys Company Assets From Warner Bros. Discovery 'Over the last year plus, we had the opportunity to assess how users engage with sports and news on Max, and we've been actively involved in exploring ways to evolve the sports distribution ecosystem in the U.S. We believe that the best place for that content for now is within the Standard and Premium tiers,' said JB Perrette, CEO and President of Global Streaming and Games, WBD. 'This update ensures that subscribers can continue to enjoy that coveted access within Max, while also enabling ongoing investment in our premium sports and news portfolio.' More to come… Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Grammy Predictions, From Beyoncé to Kendrick Lamar: Who Will Win? Who Should Win? What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025
NBC News
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
How three friends pulled off a production of 'Hamlet' inside Grand Theft Auto
At the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, two actors decided to alleviate their boredom and put on a production of 'Hamlet' entirely inside the online world of the Grand Theft Auto V video game. Four years later, their ambitious attempt is being broadcast to the world in a new documentary titled 'Grand Theft Hamlet,' which is being released on the streaming service Mubi on Friday. (It was released in select theaters in the U.K. and Ireland in December, and made the rounds at various film festivals last year.) The project, which began filming in 2021, was created by Pinny Grylls, Sam Crane and Mark Oosterveen, three U.K.-based friends who said they were inspired by how alive the world of Grand Theft Auto felt at a time when everything in the world was more closed off due to the pandemic. The extremely popular GTA franchise — which launched in 1997 — is an action-adventure video game series that follows players driving around fictional cities to complete missions. Shakespeare's 'Hamlet,' which has been reimagined and adapted across mediums for hundreds of years, is a tragedy that follows the prince of Denmark, who is advised by the ghost of his father, the former king, to avenge his murder. The two cultural staples, coupled together, became what the project creators described as the perfect escapism during the global pandemic. (Rockstar Games, the company behind the game, did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the 'Hamlet' crossover.) Crane and Oosterveen are actors by trade, and Grylls (who is married to Crane) is a documentary filmmaker. With theater, 'because it's live, anything can happen,' said Crane, who starred in the 'Hamlet'/GTA crossover as the play's titular character. 'You can't have complete control over it. And you get that same sense in online games as well. That's what's the fun of it.' The group's play within a game — and subsequent documentary about the making of their production — joins a small list of other movies and shows that have been made inside of video games, including the popular Halo-based 'Red vs. Blue' from Rooster Teeth. Setting a production within a video game has been lauded by fans as an innovative way to merge mediums. 'Grand Theft Hamlet' was filmed and takes place entirely in the world of the nearly 12-year-old video game. To pull off the endeavor, Grylls, Crane and Oosterveen first set out to cast other gamers to occupy the world within a world, putting out a notice on GTA V's in-world social media. Next, they tried to find a location in the game where they would stage the show. As time went on, they tried to get national theaters to watch the performance but were met with little enthusiasm. Throughout it all, they encountered repeated setbacks like constantly fighting with other players. At one point, a crucial member of the cast dropped out, causing a brief rift between Crane and Oosterveen as they attempted to salvage the show. But through it all, the group discovered 'surprising truths about life, friendship and the enduring power of Shakespeare,' according to a post on the film ' s Instagram page promoting the project. When Grylls and Crane finally pulled together the 'Hamlet' performance within GTA V, they livestreamed it on Twitch and YouTube in July 2022. At the time it was streamed, the crew was excited to see dozens of viewers tune in. Fans online appeared charmed by the scrappy cast of characters who were hell-bent on finishing the Shakespearean work. Now, with their film's expanded distribution, the trio behind the project said they are eager for more people to know of their efforts. 'I would say that this film is also a statement about how important it is not to be perfectionist in a way,' Grylls said. 'We are obsessed with creating perfect films, perfect pieces of theater, perfect pieces of media and making ourselves look perfect as well. And it's rubbish.'
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Rooster Teeth' co-founder reacquires brand, properties
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin-based production company Rooster Teeth, which closed its doors last year, could be returning after co-founder Burnie Burns announced today he's reacquired the brand. In a release, Burns said he had not only acquired the brand, but also 'many' of the former internet media company's remaining properties. 'I am excited at the challenge of bringing Rooster Teeth back to its roots. The heart of this brand has always been its fans, and I look forward to writing a new chapter together,' Burns said in the release. Rooster Teeth had previously been acquired by AT&T back in 2021, followed by Warner Bros. Discovery in 2022. The production company eventually closed shop in March 2024, leading to the layoffs of 133 in-person and remote employees. General Manager Jordan Levin at the time said in a message to staff it was due to 'challenges facing digital media resulting from fundamental shifts in consumer behavior and monetization across platforms, advertising, and patronage.' It's unclear if former employees will be hired back, or if major events previously run by Rooster Teeth, like the Rooster Teeth Expo, will be making a return. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Express Tribune
05-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Rooster Teeth returns as Burnie Burns acquires brand under Box Canyon Productions
Rooster Teeth is making a triumphant return after nearly a year of uncertainty. The entertainment company, which had announced its closure in March 2024, has now been acquired by its co-founder, Burnie Burns, through his company Box Canyon Productions. Burns shared the exciting news on the official Rooster Teeth website, expressing his enthusiasm about reviving the brand and its properties. He also encouraged fans to tune into the February 5 episode of the 'Morning Somewhere' podcast for more information, noting that there's a lot of work ahead as the company re-launches. Founded in 2003 by Burns and his team, Rooster Teeth became widely known for the creation of Red vs. Blue, the third-longest-running web series of all time. Over the years, the company expanded its content offerings, including live-action shorts, animated series, reality shows, and gaming-related content. Additionally, Rooster Teeth hosted the highly popular RTX convention. At its peak, Rooster Teeth's YouTube channel boasted over 9 million subscribers and 6 billion video views, with a total of more than 45 million subscribers across all its channels. However, in 2024, parent company Warner Bros. Discovery announced the decision to shut down Rooster Teeth due to its unprofitability. This led to the layoff of around 150 full-time employees, as well as job losses for several contractors and content creators. Despite this, Rooster Teeth's legacy and dedicated fanbase remained strong. Thanks to Burns' acquisition, Rooster Teeth is set for a fresh start under Box Canyon Productions. Fans are eagerly awaiting how the company will evolve as it navigates its re-launch and works to bring back the beloved entertainment platform.
