Disney+

Disney+ Grants German Premium Users Cancellation Right

Disney+ is offering German Premium subscribers a special right to cancel their subscriptions after the streaming service restricted 4K and HDR features following a patent dispute with InterDigital. Affected customers are being notified by email and have 30 days from receipt to exercise the cancellation right; prepaid unused portions will be refunded pro rata. The measure applies only to Premium plans, which the article notes cost €160 per year. Disney has partially restored 4K on some devices (Android TV, certain Google, Philips and Sony models, Amazon Fire TV, LG TVs from 2020 onward, and Sky Glass/Sky Stream), but HDR remains unavailable. Tests suggest Disney is streaming 4K using VP9 instead of the disputed HEVC codec to work around the patent issue.

BMW’s In‑Car Film Ads Spark Debate

BMW pushed a Spider-Man: Brand New Day banner and branded animation to compatible vehicle displays at start-up in certain models; tapping the banner plays an animated spot with music and ambient lighting. The activation—part of a partnership with Sony Pictures and Marvel that integrates BMW models into the film—was created with Jung von Matt Hamburg, agency UEG, director Hot Icarus and Parasol Island. It provoked criticism from German outlets (Süddeutsche Zeitung, Der Spiegel, Heise Online) and many owners online for appearing to reverse BMW’s late‑2023 pledge not to run advertising inside its cars. Observers note the novelty that the manufacturer, not a third party, is operating the screen, placing the stunt within wider automaker experiments with digital monetization, Uber’s ad business and future map/autonomy monetization.

HBO Max Producing Gilmore Girls Documentary

HBO Max is producing an authorized Gilmore Girls documentary to mark the series' 25th anniversary. The untitled film is in production, directed by Bonni Cohen and produced by Warner Horizon Television alongside R.J. Cutler’s This Machine. The documentary will include interviews with creators Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, cast interviews including Lauren Graham, previously unseen outtakes, behind-the-scenes footage, and script pages. The article notes this is the first authorized documentary about the show, which originally ran from 2000–2007, and mentions the series' recent streaming availability on Prime Video, Hulu, and Disney+ after leaving Netflix.