Spotlight

Published April 4, 2026

Hannah Montana 20th anniversary special

Recently, Disney Channel celebrated Hannah Montana’s 20th anniversary with a special starring Miley Cyrus.

The special, coming to Disney+ and Hulu, included interviews with Cyrus and never-before-seen footage from the original series. Hannah Montana, which aired from 2006 to 2011, drew around 4.4 million viewers per episode and helped launch Cyrus into international stardom, making the show a cultural touchstone for a generation of fans.

Harry Potter audiobook series gets star-studded cast

 Sources: www.metro.co.uk;mirror.co.uk; upi.com
Sources: www.metro.co.uk;mirror.co.uk; upi.com

The latest audible adaptations of the Harry Potter series feature a 200-person ensemble, original music and immersive sound effects, offering a fresh way to experience the stories.

Jaxon Knopf, Nina Barker-Francis and Rhys Mulligan voice Harry, Hermione and Ron from Book 4 onwards. The recordings aim to expand listeners’ imaginations rather than replace iconic versions, with multiple actors portraying characters at different ages. Order of the Phoenix is out now, followed by Half-Blood Prince on April 14 and Deathly Hallows on May 12.

Disney ends Sora video project

 Sources: www.metro.co.uk;mirror.co.uk; upi.com
Sources: www.metro.co.uk;mirror.co.uk; upi.com

Disney has exited its $1 billion investment deal with OpenAI, which included licensing its iconic characters for the generative AI video app Sora.

The app, launched only months ago, allowed users to create AI-generated videos featuring Disney’s characters, potentially for fan content and creative storytelling. OpenAI recently announced Sora’s shutdown, thanking creators who used the platform.

The deal’s cancellation comes amid growing concerns about AI’s potential misuse in movies and TV, while several A-list stars, including Tom Hanks, have publicly opposed AI-generated content using their likenesses.

OpenAI says it will continue developing AI video technology. This prevents Disney characters from being used in AI-generated fan projects and signals a cautious approach by major media companies towards the growing influence of AI in entertainment.

Published in Dawn, Young World, April 4th, 2026

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