Composer Ramin Djawadi makes his 'Game of Thrones' swan song

HBO hit TV series ‘The Sopranos’ is getting a big-screen adaptation. The working title of the film is ‘Newark’.

It is being helmed by Alan Taylor with ‘Sopranos’ creator David Chase and Lawrence Konner on the script. They will also produce. &nbsp;

The film will have Alessandro Nivola, Vera Farmiga, Ray Liotta, Jon Bernthal, Corey Stoll, Billy Magnussen, John Magaro and Michael Gandolfini. Michael will take up the role of a young Tony Soprano, the organized crime boss. It was played by his father, James Gandolfini in the series.&nbsp;

The prequel will be set in the era of the Newark riots in the '60s. This was a time when the African-Americans and Italians of Newark were at loggerheads with each other. Then, the world of mobs rose with constant civil war between the locals. &nbsp;

Makers have also decided on a final date of its release, that is, September 25, 2020.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

HBO hit TV series ‘The Sopranos’ is getting a big-screen adaptation. The working title of the film is ‘Newark’. It is being helmed by Alan Taylor with ‘Sopranos’ creator David Chase and Lawrence Konner on the script.

HBO hit TV series ‘The Sopranos’ is getting a big-screen adaptation. The working title of the film is ‘Newark’. It is being helmed by Alan Taylor with ‘Sopranos’ creator David Chase and Lawrence Konner on the script. They will also produce. The film will have Alessandro Nivola, Vera Farmiga, Ray Liotta, Jon Bernthal, Corey Stoll, Billy Magnussen, John Magaro and Michael Gandolfini. Michael will take up the role of a young Tony Soprano, the organized crime boss. It was played by his father, James Gandolfini in the series. The prequel will be set in the era of the Newark riots in the '60s. This was a time when the African-Americans and Italians of Newark were at loggerheads with each other. Then, the world of mobs rose with constant civil war between the locals. Makers have also decided on a final date of its release, that is, September 25, 2020.

'Sopranos' prequel film gets September 2020 release date

Actors Corey Stoll and Billy Magnussen have boarded the cast of prequel to hit HBO series&nbsp;'The Sopranos'.

Stoll is best known for starring as the villain Darren Cross in Marvel's 'Ant-Man', while Magnussen most recently featured in Cary Fukunaga's Netflix series 'Maniac'.&nbsp;

The details of their characters have not yet been revealed.&nbsp;

They join Alessandro Nivola, Vera Farmiga and Jon Bernthal in the prequel, titled 'The Many Saints of Newark', reported Deadline.

Nivola, best known for films such as 'Jurassic Park III', 'Goal' series and 'Disobedience', will play Dickey Moltisanti.&nbsp;

In the HBO series, Moltisanti is the deceased uncle of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), and father of Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli).&nbsp;

The character never appeared in the show as he was murdered prior to the drama's timeline. He is credited along with Uncle Junior for establishing the New Jersey crime family.&nbsp;

The feature film will be directed by Alan Taylor. It has been written by show creator David Chase and Lawrence Konner.

The prequel will be set against the backdrop of the Newark riots of the 1960s when African-Americans and Italians clashed.&nbsp;

Chase will produce the film via his Chase Films banner with Nicole Lambert as an executive producer.&nbsp;

'The Sopranos', headlined by Gandolfini, was HBO's one of the most critically acclaimed shows. It ran for six seasons and won 21 Emmys.&nbsp;

Actors Corey Stoll and Billy Magnussen have boarded the cast of prequel to hit HBO series 'The Sopranos'. Stoll is best known for starring as the villain Darren Cross in Marvel's 'Ant-Man', while Magnussen most recently featured in Cary Fukunaga's Netflix series 'Maniac'.

Actors Corey Stoll and Billy Magnussen have boarded the cast of prequel to hit HBO series 'The Sopranos'. Stoll is best known for starring as the villain Darren Cross in Marvel's 'Ant-Man', while Magnussen most recently featured in Cary Fukunaga's Netflix series 'Maniac'. The details of their characters have not yet been revealed. They join Alessandro Nivola, Vera Farmiga and Jon Bernthal in the prequel, titled 'The Many Saints of Newark', reported Deadline. Nivola, best known for films such as 'Jurassic Park III', 'Goal' series and 'Disobedience', will play Dickey Moltisanti. In the HBO series, Moltisanti is the deceased uncle of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), and father of Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli). The character never appeared in the show as he was murdered prior to the drama's timeline. He is credited along with Uncle Junior for establishing the New Jersey crime family. The feature film will be directed by Alan Taylor. It has been written by show creator David Chase and Lawrence Konner. The prequel will be set against the backdrop of the Newark riots of the 1960s when African-Americans and Italians clashed. Chase will produce the film via his Chase Films banner with Nicole Lambert as an executive producer. 'The Sopranos', headlined by Gandolfini, was HBO's one of the most critically acclaimed shows. It ran for six seasons and won 21 Emmys.

Corey Stoll, Billy Magnussen join 'Sopranos' prequel

HBO is at the forefront of the peak TV&nbsp;revolution -- from 'The Sopranos'&nbsp;and 'The Wire'&nbsp;to 'Game of Thrones'&nbsp;and 'Westworld,'&nbsp;the US premium cable network has produced high-quality content for two decades.

On Sunday, it is breaking new ground with its first non-English series, 'My Brilliant Friend,'&nbsp;an Italian-language adaptation of a wildly popular series of novels by Elena Ferrante.&nbsp;

The much-anticipated premiere is evidence of the globalization of television in the internet era, with audiences no longer primarily concentrated in America.

Fans of the books -- Ferrante is a pseudonym and the true identity of the author is unknown -- are champing at the bit to see the series.&nbsp;

More than 10 million readers have fallen in love with the novels -- the tale of a life-long friendship between Elena and Lila, who first meet in Naples in the 1950s -- since the first one was published in 2011.

The broadcast rights for the eight-episode HBO series were sold in 56 countries. It will air in Italy on public broadcaster RAI from November 27 and on Canal Plus in France in December.

Even in the United States, where books translated into English barely represent one per cent of the market, the four Neapolitan Novels have been big business, with 2.6 million copies sold, according to publishing house Europa Editions.

But the leap to the small screen is still a risky one for HBO, which is collaborating with RAI on the series, which was filmed in Italy by Italian director Saverio Costanzo.

The dialogue is actually in the thick Neapolitan dialect, and not pure Italian, so even RAI will show the series with subtitles.

"That really struck me," Costanzo told The Hollywood Reporter.

"I asked why an American network should care about the accuracy of a language if their audiences would be watching the series with subtitles. They replied that they wanted the series to be authentic," he added.

"There, at that moment I understood why HBO is HBO."

Non-English programming rare in the US&nbsp;

Such attention to detail and authenticity is relatively new in the United States.&nbsp;

In 2009, Quentin Tarantino tiptoed in that direction with World War II romp 'Inglourious Basterds,'&nbsp;which was filmed in part in German and French.&nbsp;

But until very recently, television series were wary of jumping on board.

Then came 'The Americans'&nbsp;(2013-18), the award-winning FX series about Russian spies living in America during the Cold War, which featured long sequences in Russian.

And as the world's television consumers turn more and more to streaming platforms to find new shows, they are more open to subtitled programming. Danish political drama 'Borgen'&nbsp;is one striking example of cross-border success.

Netflix's 'Narcos'&nbsp;-- which was filmed in Spanish and English, and debuted in 2015 -- "opened the door for the others, by showing that authenticity was vital to the success of a series," explains Lorenzo Mieli, executive producer of 'My Brilliant Friend'.

"We couldn't imagine American actresses playing Italian schoolgirls in poor areas of Naples in the 1950s," Mieli told a roundtable discussion at MIPCOM, an annual industry trade show held last month in Cannes, France.

Truth in showbiz

Once the leap was made towards more authentic productions, one more leap remained: how to ensure that the novels were not warped in the adaptation process.

"From the very first book by Elena Ferrante, I felt that we shared the same ideas and also the same stubbornness about making things look legit on screen," Costanzo said at the Venice Film Festival in September, where the first two episodes of the show premiered.

Francesco Piccolo -- who co-wrote the screenplay with Costanzo, Ferrante and Laura Paolucci -- said the author made suggestions throughout the process, and gradually became more at ease.

Her suggestions were "never to defend the books, but more about how to best convey the ideas on screen. She had great confidence in Saverio," Piccolo said.

The HBO series is indeed faithful to the book, a sweeping story of friendship, admiration, rivalry and jealousy. It offers a near-documentary look at Naples in the 1950s, where Elena and Lila meet at school.

Both girls are unusually intelligent for their age, and they grow close as they try to escape the violence of their rundown part of town, where the old "eye for an eye" theory of justice prevails.

Filmed in an industrial wasteland in the Naples area, the series brings to life the neighbourhood that is stifling them, with only a shabby courtyard on which to play and school as the only escape.

The saga on the female condition is somewhat contemplative, with detailed depictions of everyday life interspersed with the mounting tension between the main characters.

"This series is totally different from what we are used to seeing on Italian television," Mieli said at MIPCOM.

"We don't see people running around all over the place -- instead we are focused on the complexity of the female characters' point of view," he explained.

"I think this may open the door to a new way of storytelling."

HBO is at the forefront of the peak TV revolution -- from 'The Sopranos' and 'The Wire' to 'Game of Thrones' and 'Westworld,' the US premium cable network has produced high-quality content for two decades.

HBO is at the forefront of the peak TV revolution -- from 'The Sopranos' and 'The Wire' to 'Game of Thrones' and 'Westworld,' the US premium cable network has produced high-quality content for two decades. On Sunday, it is breaking new ground with its first non-English series, 'My Brilliant Friend,' an Italian-language adaptation of a wildly popular series of novels by Elena Ferrante. The much-anticipated premiere is evidence of the globalization of television in the internet era, with audiences no longer primarily concentrated in America. Fans of the books -- Ferrante is a pseudonym and the true identity of the author is unknown -- are champing at the bit to see the series. More than 10 million readers have fallen in love with the novels -- the tale of a life-long friendship between Elena and Lila, who first meet in Naples in the 1950s -- since the first one was published in 2011. The broadcast rights for the eight-episode HBO series were sold in 56 countries. It will air in Italy on public broadcaster RAI from November 27 and on Canal Plus in France in December. Even in the United States, where books translated into English barely represent one per cent of the market, the four Neapolitan Novels have been big business, with 2.6 million copies sold, according to publishing house Europa Editions. But the leap to the small screen is still a risky one for HBO, which is collaborating with RAI on the series, which was filmed in Italy by Italian director Saverio Costanzo. The dialogue is actually in the thick Neapolitan dialect, and not pure Italian, so even RAI will show the series with subtitles. "That really struck me," Costanzo told The Hollywood Reporter. "I asked why an American network should care about the accuracy of a language if their audiences would be watching the series with subtitles. They replied that they wanted the series to be authentic," he added. "There, at that moment I understood why HBO is HBO." Non-English programming rare in the US Such attention to detail and authenticity is relatively new in the United States. In 2009, Quentin Tarantino tiptoed in that direction with World War II romp 'Inglourious Basterds,' which was filmed in part in German and French. But until very recently, television series were wary of jumping on board. Then came 'The Americans' (2013-18), the award-winning FX series about Russian spies living in America during the Cold War, which featured long sequences in Russian. And as the world's television consumers turn more and more to streaming platforms to find new shows, they are more open to subtitled programming. Danish political drama 'Borgen' is one striking example of cross-border success. Netflix's 'Narcos' -- which was filmed in Spanish and English, and debuted in 2015 -- "opened the door for the others, by showing that authenticity was vital to the success of a series," explains Lorenzo Mieli, executive producer of 'My Brilliant Friend'. "We couldn't imagine American actresses playing Italian schoolgirls in poor areas of Naples in the 1950s," Mieli told a roundtable discussion at MIPCOM, an annual industry trade show held last month in Cannes, France. Truth in showbiz Once the leap was made towards more authentic productions, one more leap remained: how to ensure that the novels were not warped in the adaptation process. "From the very first book by Elena Ferrante, I felt that we shared the same ideas and also the same stubbornness about making things look legit on screen," Costanzo said at the Venice Film Festival in September, where the first two episodes of the show premiered. Francesco Piccolo -- who co-wrote the screenplay with Costanzo, Ferrante and Laura Paolucci -- said the author made suggestions throughout the process, and gradually became more at ease. Her suggestions were "never to defend the books, but more about how to best convey the ideas on screen. She had great confidence in Saverio," Piccolo said. The HBO series is indeed faithful to the book, a sweeping story of friendship, admiration, rivalry and jealousy. It offers a near-documentary look at Naples in the 1950s, where Elena and Lila meet at school. Both girls are unusually intelligent for their age, and they grow close as they try to escape the violence of their rundown part of town, where the old "eye for an eye" theory of justice prevails. Filmed in an industrial wasteland in the Naples area, the series brings to life the neighbourhood that is stifling them, with only a shabby courtyard on which to play and school as the only escape. The saga on the female condition is somewhat contemplative, with detailed depictions of everyday life interspersed with the mounting tension between the main characters. "This series is totally different from what we are used to seeing on Italian television," Mieli said at MIPCOM. "We don't see people running around all over the place -- instead we are focused on the complexity of the female characters' point of view," he explained. "I think this may open the door to a new way of storytelling."

HBO goes the foreign language route with 'My Brilliant Friend'

HBO’s hit series <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-hbo-defends-big-little-lies-golden-globes-entry-in-limited-series-calls-criticism-baseless-and-undeserved-26701">‘Big Little Lies’</a> is now in full gear as season one star Nicole Kidman shared a photo of none other than powerhouse performer Meryl Streep joining the ranks for season two.&nbsp;

Debuting on the series, Meryl Streep joins as Nicole Kidman’s mother-in-law, Mary Louise Wright. She is the mother of Perry Wright played by Alexander Skarsgård -- and comes to Monterey looking for answers following the death of her son.

Nicole shared a photo of Meryl from the set and we are excited for the season to release already:

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BhMrLYlFjfr/" style=" color:#000 font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px font-style:normal font-weight:normal line-height:17px text-decoration:none word-wrap:break-word" target="_blank">First day on the set with Meryl and “my” darling boys! #BigLittleLies</a>

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This photo reveals one out of the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/big-little-lies-season-2-comes-back-with-the-original-star-cast-and-2-new-characters-128259"> two new additions that we told you about a couple days ago</a> in the cast of ‘Big Little Lies’. Season two will see the entire cast of season one join the new team, including executive producer Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, Adam Scott, Zoë Kravitz, James Tupper, Iain Armitage, Jeffrey Nordling and many more returning faces. <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-the-post-actress-meryl-streep-to-star-in-big-little-lies-season-2-30712">Also Read: Meryl Streep to join Big Little Lies</a>

While appearing on the popular show ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers’, another cast member Reese Witherspoon spoke about the moment she found that Streep would be part of the cast. She narrated: "Well, she sent an email to Nicole and I and it said, ‘OK, I read the part and I love it and I'm going to do it.' And I like dropped the phone, like mic drop, but I phone dropped. And then I called Nicole and I was like, ‘Is this real life? Is this really happening?' And then I got off the phone with Nicole and I, like, hugged myself gently for a minute and said, ‘This is really happening. You're really working with Meryl Streep.'"

Reese then called ‘Big Little Lies’ writer David E. Kelley and said, "You better write me good scenes with Meryl Streep!"

The second season of ‘Big Little Lies’ will "explore the malignancy of lies, the durability of friendships, the fragility of marriage and, of course, the vicious ferocity of sound parenting. Relationships will fray, loyalties will erode…the potential for emotional and bodily injury shall loom."

The series is set to return to HBO in 2019.

HBO's 'Big Little Lies' is one of the biggest hit TV series of 2017 -- initially planned for just one season but was expanded after it received great ratings

HBO’s hit series ‘Big Little Lies’ is now in full gear as season one star Nicole Kidman shared a photo of none other than powerhouse performer Meryl Streep joining the ranks for season two. Debuting on the series, Meryl Streep joins as Nicole Kidman’s mother-in-law, Mary Louise Wright. She is the mother of Perry Wright played by Alexander Skarsgård -- and comes to Monterey looking for answers following the death of her son. Nicole shared a photo of Meryl from the set and we are excited for the season to release already: First day on the set with Meryl and “my” darling boys! #BigLittleLies A post shared by Nicole Kidman (@nicolekidman) on Apr 5, 2018 at 11:00am PDT × This photo reveals one out of the two new additions that we told you about a couple days ago in the cast of ‘Big Little Lies’. Season two will see the entire cast of season one join the new team, including executive producer Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, Adam Scott, Zoë Kravitz, James Tupper, Iain Armitage, Jeffrey Nordling and many more returning faces. Also Read: Meryl Streep to join Big Little Lies While appearing on the popular show ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers’, another cast member Reese Witherspoon spoke about the moment she found that Streep would be part of the cast. She narrated: "Well, she sent an email to Nicole and I and it said, ‘OK, I read the part and I love it and I'm going to do it.' And I like dropped the phone, like mic drop, but I phone dropped. And then I called Nicole and I was like, ‘Is this real life? Is this really happening?' And then I got off the phone with Nicole and I, like, hugged myself gently for a minute and said, ‘This is really happening. You're really working with Meryl Streep.'" Reese then called ‘Big Little Lies’ writer David E. Kelley and said, "You better write me good scenes with Meryl Streep!" The second season of ‘Big Little Lies’ will "explore the malignancy of lies, the durability of friendships, the fragility of marriage and, of course, the vicious ferocity of sound parenting. Relationships will fray, loyalties will erode…the potential for emotional and bodily injury shall loom." The series is set to return to HBO in 2019.

Nicole Kidman shares Meryl Streep's debut look from 'Big Little Lies' season 2

Disney on Tuesday announced it was expanding its &ldquo;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/star-wars-the-last-jedi-tops-1-billion-worldwide-28220" target="_blank">Star Wars</a>&rdquo; universe, hiring the creators behind HBO&rsquo;s massive TV hit &ldquo;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-game-of-thrones-finale-is-unbelievable-reveals-former-cast-member-jason-momoa-25567" target="_blank">Game of Thrones</a>&rdquo; to write a new series of films set in the galaxy far, far away.

The Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) said in a statement that David Benioff and D.B. Weiss would write and produce the new series, which will be separate from both the episodic Skywalker saga and the recently announced trilogy being developed by director Rian Johnson.

No release dates or plot details were given.

Shares in Disney, which also reported a quarterly profit that topped forecasts on Tuesday, rose nearly 3 percent in after-hours trading.

Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, said in a statement that Benioff and Weiss&rsquo;s &ldquo;command of complex characters, depth of story and richness of mythology will break new ground and boldly push &lsquo;Star Wars&rsquo; in ways I find incredibly exciting.&rdquo;

Disney is also developing &ldquo;a few&rdquo; &ldquo;Star Wars&rdquo; television series for an upcoming streaming service from the company, Chief Executive Bob Iger said on a conference call.

In November, Disney had announced that Johnson, director of &ldquo;Star Wars: The Last Jedi,&rdquo; would write and direct the first of a new trilogy of films in the sci-fi franchise that would bring new characters and worlds not yet explored on screen.

&ldquo;The Last Jedi,&rdquo; released in December 2017, has earned more than $1.3 billion at the global box office.

Disney had previously committed to making three standalone &ldquo;Star Wars&rdquo; films outside of the Skywalker saga. They include 2016&rsquo;s &ldquo;Rogue One,&rdquo; and May 2018 release &ldquo;Solo: A Star Wars Story,&rdquo; which follows the origins of the roguish smuggler Han Solo, made famous by Harrison Ford in the original 1977 movie.

Fantasy &ldquo;Game of Thrones&rdquo;, based on novels by author George R.R. Martin, is a huge hit internationally for HBO (TWX.N) and has won multiple awards. The seventh season last year was watched by some 30 million viewers in the United States alone.

The final season is due to be broadcast in 2019, bringing to a close the saga of the warring families in the fictional Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and their multi-generational struggle for control of the Iron Throne.

Benioff and Weiss said on Tuesday they had long been &ldquo;Star Wars&rdquo; fans.

&ldquo;In the summer of 1977 we travelled to a galaxy far, far away, and we&rsquo;ve been dreaming of it ever since,&rdquo; they said in a statement. &ldquo;We are honoured by the opportunity, a little terrified by the responsibility, and so excited to get started as soon as the final season of Game of Thrones is complete.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

Disney announced that creators behind HBO’s massive hit “Game of Thrones” have been roped to write a new series of films set in the galaxy

Disney on Tuesday announced it was expanding its “Star Wars” universe, hiring the creators behind HBO’s massive TV hit “Game of Thrones” to write a new series of films set in the galaxy far, far away. The Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) said in a statement that David Benioff and D.B. Weiss would write and produce the new series, which will be separate from both the episodic Skywalker saga and the recently announced trilogy being developed by director Rian Johnson. No release dates or plot details were given. Shares in Disney, which also reported a quarterly profit that topped forecasts on Tuesday, rose nearly 3 percent in after-hours trading. Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, said in a statement that Benioff and Weiss’s “command of complex characters, depth of story and richness of mythology will break new ground and boldly push ‘Star Wars’ in ways I find incredibly exciting.” Disney is also developing “a few” “Star Wars” television series for an upcoming streaming service from the company, Chief Executive Bob Iger said on a conference call. In November, Disney had announced that Johnson, director of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” would write and direct the first of a new trilogy of films in the sci-fi franchise that would bring new characters and worlds not yet explored on screen. “The Last Jedi,” released in December 2017, has earned more than $1.3 billion at the global box office. Disney had previously committed to making three standalone “Star Wars” films outside of the Skywalker saga. They include 2016’s “Rogue One,” and May 2018 release “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” which follows the origins of the roguish smuggler Han Solo, made famous by Harrison Ford in the original 1977 movie. Fantasy “Game of Thrones”, based on novels by author George R.R. Martin, is a huge hit internationally for HBO (TWX.N) and has won multiple awards. The seventh season last year was watched by some 30 million viewers in the United States alone. The final season is due to be broadcast in 2019, bringing to a close the saga of the warring families in the fictional Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and their multi-generational struggle for control of the Iron Throne. Benioff and Weiss said on Tuesday they had long been “Star Wars” fans. “In the summer of 1977 we travelled to a galaxy far, far away, and we’ve been dreaming of it ever since,” they said in a statement. “We are honoured by the opportunity, a little terrified by the responsibility, and so excited to get started as soon as the final season of Game of Thrones is complete.”

New 'Star Wars' films on way from TV's 'Game of Thrones' creators

HBO&#39;s Game of Thrones&#39; actors Kit Harington and Rose Leslie (who died in season 4) had earlier announced their <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/a-wedding-is-coming-gots-kit-harington-rose-leslie-engaged-20714" target="_blank">engagement</a> in September 2017.&nbsp;

The two confirmed that they would be tying the knot soon via a formal engagement in London Time&#39;s newspaper. The announcement read: &quot;The engagement is announced between Kit, younger son of David and Deborah Harington of Worcestershire.&quot;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/game-of-thrones-and-its-british-connection-7699" target="_blank">Also Watch:&nbsp;Game of Thrones and its British connection</a>

But now it seems like we will have to wait for this royal wedding as Rose in an interview recently said that she was trying to &quot;fit in&quot; her wedding with the ongoing hectic schedule of GoT filming. She said, &quot;I haven&rsquo;t tackled it. There&rsquo;s just too much to do.&rdquo;

Earlier, Kit had revealed that he hurried up in his proposal to Rose and messed it up in the process. He was quoted:&nbsp;&quot;I did have some plans to do it; I was going to string up some lights in some trees and do all the romantic stuff, but we were in the country and we were under this beautiful night sky and had a log fire burning and red wine, and...I popped my question a bit early.&quot;

Meanwhile, there is another royal wedding in the pipeline as Prince Harry will get <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/prince-harry-and-meghan-markles-wedding-date-has-been-officially-announced-26857" target="_blank">married</a> to Meghan Markle in May this year.&nbsp;

The two had announced their engagement last year in September

HBO's Game of Thrones' actors Kit Harington and Rose Leslie (who died in season 4) had earlier announced their engagement in September 2017. The two confirmed that they would be tying the knot soon via a formal engagement in London Time's newspaper. The announcement read: "The engagement is announced between Kit, younger son of David and Deborah Harington of Worcestershire." Also Watch: Game of Thrones and its British connection But now it seems like we will have to wait for this royal wedding as Rose in an interview recently said that she was trying to "fit in" her wedding with the ongoing hectic schedule of GoT filming. She said, "I haven’t tackled it. There’s just too much to do.” Earlier, Kit had revealed that he hurried up in his proposal to Rose and messed it up in the process. He was quoted: "I did have some plans to do it; I was going to string up some lights in some trees and do all the romantic stuff, but we were in the country and we were under this beautiful night sky and had a log fire burning and red wine, and...I popped my question a bit early." Meanwhile, there is another royal wedding in the pipeline as Prince Harry will get married to Meghan Markle in May this year.

Former 'GoT' actress Rose Leslie doesn't have time to marry Kit Harington aka Jon Snow

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/indias-gdp-growth-to-slow-to-four-year-low-of-65-in-2017-18-28649" target="_blank">India&#39;s GDP growth to slow to four-year low of 6.5% in 2017-18</a>

The economic growth is expected to slow to a four-year low of 6.5 per cent in 2017-18, the lowest under the Modi-led government, mainly due to poor performance of agriculture and manufacturing sectors.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/all-you-need-to-know-about-new-rs-10-note-introduced-by-rbi-28641" target="_blank">All you need to know about new Rs 10 note introduced by RBI</a>

The Reserve Bank of India on Friday introduced a new Rs 10 banknote in a new series and chocolate brown colour.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-hbo-confirms-for-first-time-game-of-thrones-to-return-in-2019-28632" target="_blank">HBO confirms for first time, &#39;Game of Thrones&#39; to return in 2019</a>

Putting speculations to rest, HBO now confirms that fan rumours were true -- the final season of &quot;Game of Thrones&quot;&nbsp;won&#39;t be back until 2019.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/disinvestment-on-cards-tata-group-and-singapore-airlines-ready-to-bid-for-air-india-28637" target="_blank">Disinvestment on cards, Tata group and Singapore Airlines ready to bid for Air India</a>

Just days after aviation minister Raju said the government does not want Air India to &quot;go the Kingfisher way&quot;, Vistara&#39;s CEO Leslie Thng said today that Tata Group and Singapore Airlines are &quot;open to bid&quot; for Air India.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/budget-likely-to-announce-several-features-to-strengthen-womens-safety-in-railways-28627" target="_blank">Budget likely to announce several features to strengthen women&#39;s safety in Railways</a>

The Union Budget&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/union-budget-to-be-presented-on-february-1-28623">set to be announced on February 1</a>&nbsp;is set to include special measures to strengthen women&#39;s safety. The Railway Ministry is likely to announce 2018 as &quot;Railway Women&#39;s Safety Year&quot;.

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India's GDP growth to slow to four-year low of 6.5% in 2017-18 The economic growth is expected to slow to a four-year low of 6.5 per cent in 2017-18, the lowest under the Modi-led government, mainly due to poor performance of agriculture and manufacturing sectors. All you need to know about new Rs 10 note introduced by RBI The Reserve Bank of India on Friday introduced a new Rs 10 banknote in a new series and chocolate brown colour. HBO confirms for first time, 'Game of Thrones' to return in 2019 Putting speculations to rest, HBO now confirms that fan rumours were true -- the final season of "Game of Thrones" won't be back until 2019. Disinvestment on cards, Tata group and Singapore Airlines ready to bid for Air India Just days after aviation minister Raju said the government does not want Air India to "go the Kingfisher way", Vistara's CEO Leslie Thng said today that Tata Group and Singapore Airlines are "open to bid" for Air India. Budget likely to announce several features to strengthen women's safety in Railways The Union Budget set to be announced on February 1 is set to include special measures to strengthen women's safety. The Railway Ministry is likely to announce 2018 as "Railway Women's Safety Year".

WION Evening News brief, 5 January 2018

US&nbsp;prosecutors have charged an Iranian-based hacker with penetrating the network of cable TV provider HBO and stealing episodes and plot summaries for unaired programs including &quot;Game of Thrones,&quot; then threatening to release the data unless he was paid $6 million.

The cyber attack surfaced over the summer as HBO was running a new season of &quot;Game of Thrones&quot; and as the cable network&#39;s parent Time Warner Inc sought regulatory approval to sell itself to AT&amp;T Inc in an $85.4 billion deal announced in October 2016.

A sealed indictment released on Tuesday by the US&nbsp;Attorney&#39;s office in Manhattan charges Behzad Mesri, also known as &quot;Skote Vahshat,&quot; with hacking into HBO from May to August and stealing unaired episodes of programs including &quot;Ballers,&quot; &quot;Curb Your Enthusiasm&quot; and &quot;The Deuce.&quot;

Mesri also stole scripts and plot summaries for programs including &quot;Game of Thrones,&quot; according to the indictment.

The indictment described Mesri as a &quot;self-professed expert&quot; in hacking who had worked on behalf of Iran&#39;s military to attack military systems, nuclear software systems and Israeli infrastructure.

It also alleged that he helped an Iranian hacking group, Turk Black Hat Security Team, deface hundreds of websites in the United States and other countries.

Reuters was unable reach Mesri for comment.

A spokesman with the US&nbsp;Attorney&#39;s Office said that Mesri has not been arrested, but declined to comment on the suspect&#39;s whereabouts.

An HBO representative could not immediately be reached for comment.

US?prosecutors charged Behzad Mesri with stealing episodes and plot summaries for unaired programs including 'Game of Thrones', then threatening to release the data unless he was paid $6 million

US prosecutors have charged an Iranian-based hacker with penetrating the network of cable TV provider HBO and stealing episodes and plot summaries for unaired programs including "Game of Thrones," then threatening to release the data unless he was paid $6 million. The cyber attack surfaced over the summer as HBO was running a new season of "Game of Thrones" and as the cable network's parent Time Warner Inc sought regulatory approval to sell itself to AT&T Inc in an $85.4 billion deal announced in October 2016. A sealed indictment released on Tuesday by the US Attorney's office in Manhattan charges Behzad Mesri, also known as "Skote Vahshat," with hacking into HBO from May to August and stealing unaired episodes of programs including "Ballers," "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "The Deuce." Mesri also stole scripts and plot summaries for programs including "Game of Thrones," according to the indictment. The indictment described Mesri as a "self-professed expert" in hacking who had worked on behalf of Iran's military to attack military systems, nuclear software systems and Israeli infrastructure. It also alleged that he helped an Iranian hacking group, Turk Black Hat Security Team, deface hundreds of websites in the United States and other countries. Reuters was unable reach Mesri for comment. A spokesman with the US Attorney's Office said that Mesri has not been arrested, but declined to comment on the suspect's whereabouts. An HBO representative could not immediately be reached for comment.

US prosecutors charge Iranian with 'Game of Thrones' hack

Emmy-winning comedic actress&nbsp;Julia&nbsp;Louis-Dreyfus disclosed on Thursday that she was battling breast cancer and highlighted the case for universal healthcare by posting a picture of a printed note to her 750,000&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;followers.

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Just when you thought... <a href="https://t.co/SbtYChwiEj">pic.twitter.com/SbtYChwiEj</a>
&mdash; Julia Louis-Dreyfus (@OfficialJLD) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialJLD/status/913452227104202752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The who and who of the United States quickly sent in love and support:

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We Veeps stick together. Jill and I, and all of the Bidens, are with you, Julia. <a href="https://t.co/JP0c2wtrJ6">pic.twitter.com/JP0c2wtrJ6</a>
&mdash; Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/913531470001602565?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Julia is one of the most talented, most giving, most empathetic people that I&rsquo;ve had the pleasure to meet. That she takes this news and turns it to help others is of no surprise. Get well, Boss. We love you. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fuckcancer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#fuckcancer</a> <a href="https://t.co/3NTr31nKmz">https://t.co/3NTr31nKmz</a>
&mdash; Timothy Simons (@timothycsimons) <a href="https://twitter.com/timothycsimons/status/913565677461676032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Sending you love support <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialJLD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OfficialJLD</a> for your journey. Keep thriving in your heart. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JuliaLouisDreyfus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JuliaLouisDreyfus</a> <a href="https://t.co/f5Uw2J3zSs">https://t.co/f5Uw2J3zSs</a>
&mdash; Melissa Etheridge (@metheridge) <a href="https://twitter.com/metheridge/status/913515886220161024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JuliaLouisDreyfus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JuliaLouisDreyfus</a> is purest class. The world is thinking of you and pulling for you.
&mdash; Jack Wallen (@jlwallen) <a href="https://twitter.com/jlwallen/status/913472418244644864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Louis-Dreyfus, 56, who plays foul-mouthed fictitious former US&nbsp;President Selina Meyer on HBO&#39;s &quot;Veep&quot; also received&nbsp;love from her fans:

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Prayers &amp; positive thoughts to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JuliaLouisDreyfus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JuliaLouisDreyfus</a> 
Always a classy person!!??
&mdash; Keith A. Braswell (@kbraswell1701) <a href="https://twitter.com/kbraswell1701/status/913472074852814850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialJLD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OfficialJLD</a> is fearless, inspiring, amazing -- my spirit animal. ??? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ACA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ACA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UniversalHealthCare?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UniversalHealthCare</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JuliaLouisDreyfus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JuliaLouisDreyfus</a> <a href="https://t.co/9eNvXNif4T">https://t.co/9eNvXNif4T</a>
&mdash; Rachel Currence (@rachel_currence) <a href="https://twitter.com/rachel_currence/status/913544382694924288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The news comes less than two weeks after the&nbsp;&quot;Veep&quot;&nbsp;star&nbsp;won a sixth consecutive Emmy for comedy acting.

A native New Yorker of French stock, Louis-Dreyfus has been one of America&#39;s most popular and influential comedy actors since she found fame with the cult sitcom &quot;Seinfeld&quot; in the 1990s.&nbsp;

Louis-Dreyfus, 56, who plays foul-mouthed fictitious former US?President Selina Meyer on HBO's "Veep," said "1 in 8 women get breast cancer. Today, I'm the one," in a short post on her social media platforms

Emmy-winning comedic actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus disclosed on Thursday that she was battling breast cancer and highlighted the case for universal healthcare by posting a picture of a printed note to her 750,000 Twitter followers. Just when you thought... pic.twitter.com/SbtYChwiEj — Julia Louis-Dreyfus (@OfficialJLD) September 28, 2017 × The who and who of the United States quickly sent in love and support: We Veeps stick together. Jill and I, and all of the Bidens, are with you, Julia. pic.twitter.com/JP0c2wtrJ6 — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 28, 2017 × Julia is one of the most talented, most giving, most empathetic people that I’ve had the pleasure to meet. That she takes this news and turns it to help others is of no surprise. Get well, Boss. We love you. #fuckcancer https://t.co/3NTr31nKmz — Timothy Simons (@timothycsimons) September 29, 2017 × Sending you love support @OfficialJLD for your journey. Keep thriving in your heart. #JuliaLouisDreyfus https://t.co/f5Uw2J3zSs — Melissa Etheridge (@metheridge) September 28, 2017 × #JuliaLouisDreyfus is purest class. The world is thinking of you and pulling for you. — Jack Wallen (@jlwallen) September 28, 2017 × Louis-Dreyfus, 56, who plays foul-mouthed fictitious former US President Selina Meyer on HBO's "Veep" also received love from her fans: Prayers & positive thoughts to #JuliaLouisDreyfus Always a classy person!!?? — Keith A. Braswell (@kbraswell1701) September 28, 2017 × .@OfficialJLD is fearless, inspiring, amazing -- my spirit animal. ??? #ACA #UniversalHealthCare #JuliaLouisDreyfus https://t.co/9eNvXNif4T — Rachel Currence (@rachel_currence) September 28, 2017 × The news comes less than two weeks after the "Veep" star won a sixth consecutive Emmy for comedy acting. A native New Yorker of French stock, Louis-Dreyfus has been one of America's most popular and influential comedy actors since she found fame with the cult sitcom "Seinfeld" in the 1990s.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus discloses her breast cancer diagnoses

Hackers have released more unaired episodes of popular HBO shows but the latest leak did not include anything on the hit series &quot;Game of Thrones,&quot; the Associated Press reported on Sunday.

The hackers, who broke into HBO&#39;s computer network and have released stolen information for several weeks, provided more unaired episodes, including the popular show &quot;Curb Your Enthusiasm, &quot; which returns in October.

They also leaked episodes of &quot;Insecure,&quot; &quot;Ballers&quot; and &quot;The Deuce,&quot; according to the Associated Press.

Time Warner&#39;s HBO said Sunday that it was &quot;not in communication with the hacker, and we&#39;re not going to comment every time a new piece of information is released.&quot;

&quot;It has been widely reported that there was a cyber incident at HBO,&quot; it said. &quot;The hacker may continue to drop bits and pieces of stolen information in an attempt to generate media attention. That&rsquo;s a game we&rsquo;re not going to participate in.&quot;

HBO acknowledged the hack earlier this summer. It said the thieves had been leaking stolen materials and asking for a multi-million-dollar ransom.

The hack came at a sensitive time for HBO parent Time Warner as it awaits regulatory approval to sell itself to AT&amp;T in a $85.4 billion deal announced in October.

The latest leak did not include anything on the hit series "Game of Thrones," the Associated Press reported

Hackers have released more unaired episodes of popular HBO shows but the latest leak did not include anything on the hit series "Game of Thrones," the Associated Press reported on Sunday. The hackers, who broke into HBO's computer network and have released stolen information for several weeks, provided more unaired episodes, including the popular show "Curb Your Enthusiasm, " which returns in October. They also leaked episodes of "Insecure," "Ballers" and "The Deuce," according to the Associated Press. Time Warner's HBO said Sunday that it was "not in communication with the hacker, and we're not going to comment every time a new piece of information is released." "It has been widely reported that there was a cyber incident at HBO," it said. "The hacker may continue to drop bits and pieces of stolen information in an attempt to generate media attention. That’s a game we’re not going to participate in." HBO acknowledged the hack earlier this summer. It said the thieves had been leaking stolen materials and asking for a multi-million-dollar ransom. The hack came at a sensitive time for HBO parent Time Warner as it awaits regulatory approval to sell itself to AT&T in a $85.4 billion deal announced in October.

Hackers release more HBO episode shows: report

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/got-s7-when-fire-met-ice-384">Game of Thrones season 7 episode 6 trailer </a>proves that it&#39;s going to be the best one in the season.&nbsp;

&quot;Death is the enemy. The first enemy and the last. The enemy always win. And we still need to fight it,&quot; Beric Dondarrion&nbsp;tells Jon as their&nbsp;crew heads out for a White Walker hunt.

Not for longer than a minute, the trailer brings together our most beloved characters--the White Walkers in a one-on-one with Jon Snow and team.&nbsp;

<h2>Watch it here:</h2>

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Stw6INIS570" width="970"></iframe>

It&#39;s not far fetched to say that the trailer gives us the feels of Season 5 Episode 8 &quot;Battle of Hardhome&quot; where Jon Snow fights, members of the Nights Watch, Free Folk and other wildlings fight against the White Walkers in an epic battle.&nbsp;

<h2>For some nostalgia:</h2>

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N14QhFUsVXI" width="970"></iframe>

WIth the right feels to it, it might just be the best one fans are waiting for.&nbsp;

(WION)

The episode marks the ultimate coming face to face with White Walkers

Game of Thrones season 7 episode 6 trailer proves that it's going to be the best one in the season. "Death is the enemy. The first enemy and the last. The enemy always win. And we still need to fight it," Beric Dondarrion tells Jon as their crew heads out for a White Walker hunt. Not for longer than a minute, the trailer brings together our most beloved characters--the White Walkers in a one-on-one with Jon Snow and team. Watch it here: It's not far fetched to say that the trailer gives us the feels of Season 5 Episode 8 "Battle of Hardhome" where Jon Snow fights, members of the Nights Watch, Free Folk and other wildlings fight against the White Walkers in an epic battle. For some nostalgia: WIth the right feels to it, it might just be the best one fans are waiting for. (WION)

Watch: Game of Thrones season 7 episode 6 teaser announces winter is here!

HBO is working with cyber security experts and law enforcement in a hacking case related to the hit <a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/game-of-tech-apple-google-facebook-who-will-win-392">TV series Game of Thrones</a>. According to reports, some files have been stolen from HBO and posted online.The hackers were demanding a Bitcoin ransom to prevent further release.&nbsp;

&ldquo;The forensic review is ongoing,&quot; HBO said.

Hackers claim to have a wide variety of confidential material including scripts to its programs, contracts, human resources documents and budget details, Mashable reported. The report said that hackers have sent an email regarding this to HBO Chief Executive Officer Richard Plepler.

Along with the unaired episodes, personal phone numbers and email addresses of few GoT actors including Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, and Emilia Clarke were also released.

The leak includes draft scripts for five episodes of Game of Thrones,&nbsp;internal network and administrator passwords. The data also includes a month&#39;s worth of emails from HBO&rsquo;s vice president for film programming&nbsp;VP Leslie Cohen.

Last week Hackers had&nbsp;stolen around 1.5 terabytes of data that included two unreleased episodes of Ballers and Room 104, Entertainment Weekly reported.

The latest leak has added to the previous<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/got-s7-when-fire-met-ice-384"> spoiler of season 7&#39;s fourth episode that came out</a> ahead of its broadcast.

The leak has appeared at a time when HBO&#39;s Time Warner is awaiting regulatory approval for a deal with AT&amp;T worth $85.4 billion. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Along with the unaired episodes, personal phone numbers and email addresses of few GoT actors including Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, and Emilia Clarke were also released

HBO is working with cyber security experts and law enforcement in a hacking case related to the hit TV series Game of Thrones. According to reports, some files have been stolen from HBO and posted online.The hackers were demanding a Bitcoin ransom to prevent further release. “The forensic review is ongoing," HBO said. Hackers claim to have a wide variety of confidential material including scripts to its programs, contracts, human resources documents and budget details, Mashable reported. The report said that hackers have sent an email regarding this to HBO Chief Executive Officer Richard Plepler. Along with the unaired episodes, personal phone numbers and email addresses of few GoT actors including Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, and Emilia Clarke were also released. The leak includes draft scripts for five episodes of Game of Thrones, internal network and administrator passwords. The data also includes a month's worth of emails from HBO’s vice president for film programming VP Leslie Cohen. Last week Hackers had stolen around 1.5 terabytes of data that included two unreleased episodes of Ballers and Room 104, Entertainment Weekly reported. The latest leak has added to the previous spoiler of season 7's fourth episode that came out ahead of its broadcast. The leak has appeared at a time when HBO's Time Warner is awaiting regulatory approval for a deal with AT&T worth $85.4 billion.

Hackers now leak personal details of GoT actors

In what may come as a shocker to Netflix-Disney fans, you might not be able to stream any Disney movies on Netflix for long.&nbsp;

According to a statement issued by&nbsp;Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company: &quot;Disney will end its distribution agreement with Netflix for subscription streaming of new releases, beginning with the 2019 calendar year theatrical slate.&quot;

Justifying the move, it said: &quot;The media landscape is increasingly defined by direct relationships between content creators and consumers, and our control of BAMTech&#39;s full array of innovative technology will give us the power to forge those connections, along with the flexibility to quickly adapt to shifts in the market. This acquisition and the launch of our direct-to-consumer services mark an entirely new growth strategy for the Company, one that takes advantage of the incredible opportunity that changing technology provides us to leverage the strength of our great brands.&quot;

The media giant plans to launch an&nbsp;ESPN-branded multi-sport video streaming service in early 2018 and also a new Disney-branded streaming service that will be rolled out in 2019.

Disney confirmed that like its competitors,&nbsp;it will make &quot;significant investment&quot; in its original movies, TV shows and short-form content, adding that the service will feature the brand&#39;s vast and lengthy library of content, including Disney and Pixar movies and Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD television programming.

According to a statement on the Walt Disney Company&#39;s website, &quot;The new Disney-branded service will become the exclusive home in the US for subscription-video-on-demand viewing of the newest live action and animated movies from Disney and Pixar, beginning with the 2019 theatrical slate, which includes Toy Story 4, the sequel to Frozen, and The Lion King from Disney live-action, along with other highly anticipated movies.&quot;

This move could prove to be a big blow for Netflix while spelling some trouble for others in the market like HBO Go, Amazon Prime and etc.&nbsp;

(WION)

They will have a Disney branded streaming service in 2019

In what may come as a shocker to Netflix-Disney fans, you might not be able to stream any Disney movies on Netflix for long. According to a statement issued by Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company: "Disney will end its distribution agreement with Netflix for subscription streaming of new releases, beginning with the 2019 calendar year theatrical slate." Justifying the move, it said: "The media landscape is increasingly defined by direct relationships between content creators and consumers, and our control of BAMTech's full array of innovative technology will give us the power to forge those connections, along with the flexibility to quickly adapt to shifts in the market. This acquisition and the launch of our direct-to-consumer services mark an entirely new growth strategy for the Company, one that takes advantage of the incredible opportunity that changing technology provides us to leverage the strength of our great brands." The media giant plans to launch an ESPN-branded multi-sport video streaming service in early 2018 and also a new Disney-branded streaming service that will be rolled out in 2019. Disney confirmed that like its competitors, it will make "significant investment" in its original movies, TV shows and short-form content, adding that the service will feature the brand's vast and lengthy library of content, including Disney and Pixar movies and Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD television programming. According to a statement on the Walt Disney Company's website, "The new Disney-branded service will become the exclusive home in the US for subscription-video-on-demand viewing of the newest live action and animated movies from Disney and Pixar, beginning with the 2019 theatrical slate, which includes Toy Story 4, the sequel to Frozen, and The Lion King from Disney live-action, along with other highly anticipated movies." This move could prove to be a big blow for Netflix while spelling some trouble for others in the market like HBO Go, Amazon Prime and etc. (WION)

Disney ends partnership with Netflix, to launch its own streaming service

There&#39;s a thing about Game of Thrones, it keeps getting better and better with every new episode. Although, the first episode did not bring many surprises but HBO was clearly surprised by the show&#39;s viewership.&nbsp;

&#39;Dragonstone&#39;, the first episode of season 7 increased HBO subscribers by almost 6 million as the show attracted 16.1 million viewers overall.&nbsp;

The show&#39;s last season 6 premiere attracted 10.1 million viewers and the new figures of Season 7 aired on HBO shows a rise of over 50% which also makes it the most watched episode of the entire series.&nbsp;

The episode also trended on various social media platforms as Ed Sheeran made his debut on the show. <a href="http://www.wionews.com/life-fun/ed-sheeran-got-acting-can-hurt-sometimes-18051">Ed Sheeran was however panned by GOT followers</a> who disliked his &#39;&#39;sing-song&quot; debut, the singer in an apparent overreaction deleted his Twitter account.

&#39;Dragonstone&#39; started with Arya Stark&#39;s revenge against the Freys which means that &quot;winter has already come for House Frey&quot;. &nbsp;

Season 7 aired on HBO shows a rise of over 50% viewership

There's a thing about Game of Thrones, it keeps getting better and better with every new episode. Although, the first episode did not bring many surprises but HBO was clearly surprised by the show's viewership. 'Dragonstone', the first episode of season 7 increased HBO subscribers by almost 6 million as the show attracted 16.1 million viewers overall. The show's last season 6 premiere attracted 10.1 million viewers and the new figures of Season 7 aired on HBO shows a rise of over 50% which also makes it the most watched episode of the entire series. The episode also trended on various social media platforms as Ed Sheeran made his debut on the show. Ed Sheeran was however panned by GOT followers who disliked his ''sing-song" debut, the singer in an apparent overreaction deleted his Twitter account. 'Dragonstone' started with Arya Stark's revenge against the Freys which means that "winter has already come for House Frey".

Game of Thrones season 7 premiere sets new viewership record

American fantasy drama &quot;Game of Thrones&quot; bids to make history at the 68th Emmy Awards on Sunday by becoming the most decorated fictional show, AFP reported today.&nbsp; 
 
The series picked up nine Emmys at Creative Arts Emmys, giving it a total tally of 35 wins. The show has received a total 106 nominations till now. 
 
However, Sunday&#39;s ceremony could see it surpassing long-running sit-com &#39;Fraiser&#39; which has 37 wins under its belt.&nbsp; 
 
In the controversial saga, nudity, violence and betrayal seemingly &quot;thrill&quot; the audience where seven noble families fight with teeth and claw to gain control of the Iron Throne. 
 
This year, it is up for five major categories including a sixth one for outstanding drama. 
 
The show&#39;s three powerful female characters, Lena Headey who plays &#39;mad&#39; queen Cersei Lannister, Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen and Maisie Williams as Arya Stark, dominate the supporting actress category, while the charming imp played by Peter Dinklage could win a third supporting actor trophy, but may face stiff competition from Kit Harrington who plays Jon Snow. 
 
It has also been nominated in the writing and directing category.&nbsp; 
 
Debra Birnbaum, executive editor for TV at entertainment industry magazine Variety, told AFP: &quot;I think &#39;Game of Thrones&#39; will be a big winner on Emmy night.&quot; 
 
&quot;With all the nominations it has in those five categories, it&#39;s going to take home at least three trophies, and break the record,&quot; she added.&nbsp; 
 
Season six ended with an explosion, literally with Cersei becoming the &#39;&#39;mad queen&#39;&#39; and using wildfire to get rid of her enemies, including Margaery Tyrell and Ser Loras. 
 
Olenna Tyrell, the matriach and remaining survivor has teamed up with the Martell&#39;s to avenge the death of their families. The mother of dragons, Daenerys Targaryen has finally set sail towards Westeros with her dragons in tow, and Arya Stark avenges the Red Wedding and kills Walder Frey and Jon Snow becoming the King of North.&nbsp; 
 
The show also confirms the famous R+L= J theory, that Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark are Jon Snow&#39;s real parents.&nbsp; 
 
What to expect from Season 7 
 
Social media is rife with speculations regarding the seventh season of Game of Thrones, which will follow an outline of the Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring, George R R Martin&#39;s two unpublished novels from The Song of Ice and Fire series. 
 
&nbsp;Actor Joe Dempsie, who played Gendry Baratheon was spotted in Belfast. Robert Baratheon&#39;s bastard was last seen rowing away in season three.&nbsp; 
 
Other speculations include, Jaime Lannister turning on his sister, for destroying half of Westeros. The last time Westeros burned, Jaime attained the title of &#39;Kingslayer&#39; for killing the Mad King, Aerys Targaryen 
 
A confrontation between the two queens is also expected to happen and between Tyrion Lannister and his sister. Apart from the war of the Queens, a bigger battle is also expected between the White Walkers and Jon Snow&#39;s Army. 
 
Fans are hoping that till that time, cousins Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen would form an alliance, an alliance by marriage as the White Walkers can only be killed by dragon glass, made from dragon fire and Valaryian steel.&nbsp; 
 
Also the scene featuring Samwell Tarly, who had reached the Citadel, showed a sphere chandelier similar to one seen during the opening credits. Samwell may end up finding some ancient knowledge in the library which will help in killing the army of dead.&nbsp; 
 
One can only wait to see what will happen in the next season, but usually the show ends up confirming a lot of fan theories.&nbsp; 
Season 7 is expected to release in summer of 2017. 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

The series picked up nine Emmys at Creative Arts Emmys, giving it a total tally of 35 wins

American fantasy drama "Game of Thrones" bids to make history at the 68th Emmy Awards on Sunday by becoming the most decorated fictional show, AFP reported today. The series picked up nine Emmys at Creative Arts Emmys, giving it a total tally of 35 wins. The show has received a total 106 nominations till now. However, Sunday's ceremony could see it surpassing long-running sit-com 'Fraiser' which has 37 wins under its belt. In the controversial saga, nudity, violence and betrayal seemingly "thrill" the audience where seven noble families fight with teeth and claw to gain control of the Iron Throne. This year, it is up for five major categories including a sixth one for outstanding drama. The show's three powerful female characters, Lena Headey who plays 'mad' queen Cersei Lannister, Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen and Maisie Williams as Arya Stark, dominate the supporting actress category, while the charming imp played by Peter Dinklage could win a third supporting actor trophy, but may face stiff competition from Kit Harrington who plays Jon Snow. It has also been nominated in the writing and directing category. Debra Birnbaum, executive editor for TV at entertainment industry magazine Variety, told AFP: "I think 'Game of Thrones' will be a big winner on Emmy night." "With all the nominations it has in those five categories, it's going to take home at least three trophies, and break the record," she added. Season six ended with an explosion, literally with Cersei becoming the ''mad queen'' and using wildfire to get rid of her enemies, including Margaery Tyrell and Ser Loras. Olenna Tyrell, the matriach and remaining survivor has teamed up with the Martell's to avenge the death of their families. The mother of dragons, Daenerys Targaryen has finally set sail towards Westeros with her dragons in tow, and Arya Stark avenges the Red Wedding and kills Walder Frey and Jon Snow becoming the King of North. The show also confirms the famous R+L= J theory, that Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark are Jon Snow's real parents. What to expect from Season 7 Social media is rife with speculations regarding the seventh season of Game of Thrones, which will follow an outline of the Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring, George R R Martin's two unpublished novels from The Song of Ice and Fire series. Actor Joe Dempsie, who played Gendry Baratheon was spotted in Belfast. Robert Baratheon's bastard was last seen rowing away in season three. Other speculations include, Jaime Lannister turning on his sister, for destroying half of Westeros. The last time Westeros burned, Jaime attained the title of 'Kingslayer' for killing the Mad King, Aerys Targaryen A confrontation between the two queens is also expected to happen and between Tyrion Lannister and his sister. Apart from the war of the Queens, a bigger battle is also expected between the White Walkers and Jon Snow's Army. Fans are hoping that till that time, cousins Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen would form an alliance, an alliance by marriage as the White Walkers can only be killed by dragon glass, made from dragon fire and Valaryian steel. Also the scene featuring Samwell Tarly, who had reached the Citadel, showed a sphere chandelier similar to one seen during the opening credits. Samwell may end up finding some ancient knowledge in the library which will help in killing the army of dead. One can only wait to see what will happen in the next season, but usually the show ends up confirming a lot of fan theories. Season 7 is expected to release in summer of 2017. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Game of Thrones bids to make history at 68th Emmy Awards

Game of Thrones, the hit HBO cable TV series that is partly filmed in Northern Ireland, will not suffer due to Britain&#39;s decision to leave the European Union, the cable network said on Friday, aiming to quash speculation that the lavishly produced show would lose EU funding. 
 
Britons voted on Thursday to leave the European Union, a decision that economists and government leaders say clouds growth prospects for the world&#39;s fifth-largest economy and could dim its attraction for investors. 
 
The result could also discourage Hollywood studios and cable networks to film shows and movies in Britain, in part because the country would no longer have access to European subsidies. 
 
The series received support from the EU&#39;s European Regional Development Fund in its early years, HBO confirmed, but the fund has provided no support for the past few seasons. 
 
&quot;We do not anticipate that the result of the EU referendum will have any material effect on HBO producing Game of Thrones,&quot; the network, a unit of Time Warner Inc, said in a statement. 
 
As results from Britain&#39;s historic referendum came in overnight, speculation spread online that the decision would hurt HBO&#39;s most-watched series, which had as many as 20 million viewers per episode last season. 
 
The show continues to receive funding from the UK, including from Northern Ireland Screen (NIS), which provides government support for local businesses. 
 
NIS issued a statement on Friday saying the organisation &quot;does not use monies provided from European-funded programmes.&quot; 
 
A majority of voters in Northern Ireland, one of four &quot;nations&quot; that comprise the United Kingdom, cast ballots for remaining in the EU. 
 
The Emmy-winning Game of Thrones, based on George R. R. Martin&#39;s A Song of Ice and Fire books, tells the epic fantasy tale of a multi-generational struggle for control of the Iron Throne and rule over the Seven Kingdoms. 
 
The show, now in its sixth season, has a budget of $10 million per episode, according to Entertainment Weekly. 
 
(Reuters)

Northern Island Screen, which funds the show, said that the organisation does 'not use monies provided from European-funded programmes'

Game of Thrones, the hit HBO cable TV series that is partly filmed in Northern Ireland, will not suffer due to Britain's decision to leave the European Union, the cable network said on Friday, aiming to quash speculation that the lavishly produced show would lose EU funding. Britons voted on Thursday to leave the European Union, a decision that economists and government leaders say clouds growth prospects for the world's fifth-largest economy and could dim its attraction for investors. The result could also discourage Hollywood studios and cable networks to film shows and movies in Britain, in part because the country would no longer have access to European subsidies. The series received support from the EU's European Regional Development Fund in its early years, HBO confirmed, but the fund has provided no support for the past few seasons. "We do not anticipate that the result of the EU referendum will have any material effect on HBO producing Game of Thrones," the network, a unit of Time Warner Inc, said in a statement. As results from Britain's historic referendum came in overnight, speculation spread online that the decision would hurt HBO's most-watched series, which had as many as 20 million viewers per episode last season. The show continues to receive funding from the UK, including from Northern Ireland Screen (NIS), which provides government support for local businesses. NIS issued a statement on Friday saying the organisation "does not use monies provided from European-funded programmes." A majority of voters in Northern Ireland, one of four "nations" that comprise the United Kingdom, cast ballots for remaining in the EU. The Emmy-winning Game of Thrones, based on George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire books, tells the epic fantasy tale of a multi-generational struggle for control of the Iron Throne and rule over the Seven Kingdoms. The show, now in its sixth season, has a budget of $10 million per episode, according to Entertainment Weekly. (Reuters)

Season 7 is coming, HBO says Brexit won't affect 'Game of Thrones' production

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