BBC Studios vs Warner Bros.

Mattel Partners with BBC's Bluey Across Multiple Brands

Mattel announced a multi-year global licensing partnership with BBC Studios to bring the animated series Bluey to five of its major brands: Fisher-Price's Little People, Barbie, Polly Pocket, Hot Wheels, and UNO. This move is part of Mattel's strategic shift from a traditional toy maker to a 'brand management company' focused on building lifelong fandom through an ecosystem of toys, entertainment, and live experiences. The partnership was announced by Mattel's chief marketing and brand officer, Roberto Stanichi, at ADWEEK's Brandweek. The collaboration aims to leverage Bluey's emotional resonance to deepen consumer engagement and expand Mattel's franchise ecosystem, aligning with its brand pillars of centering fans and creating immersive experiences.

• Mattel and BBC Studios signed a multi-year global licensing partnership for Bluey.
• Bluey characters will appear in Fisher-Price Little People, Barbie, Polly Pocket, Hot Wheels, and UNO products.
• The deal was announced by Mattel's CMO Roberto Stanichi at ADWEEK's Brandweek.

BBC Studios unveils next generation of reality formats at MIPCOM 2026

The Yacht, The Big Date, Silent Attraction and Dancing With The Stars: The Next Pro launching to international buyers in session Reality Check: A New Era of Unscripted Formats, on Monday 12 October.

BBC Studios ANZ appoints new Senior Vice President, Head of Streaming & Channels

Liz Baldwin will lead the streaming and channel strategy across Australia and New Zealand.

Oracle's Larry Ellison adopts trading plan to sell up to $7.5 billion stock

Larry Ellison, Oracle's co-founder and chairman, canceled his planned sale of up to 50 million Oracle shares (approximately $7.5 billion). The decision was announced by Oracle on September 13, 2026, one day after the plan was disclosed, with no reason provided. The trading plan, established in late June and set to expire in late October 2026, had not resulted in any sales. Ellison, who retains a 40% stake and is the largest individual shareholder, stated he has no further sale intentions. This move comes amid a challenging year for Oracle, as shares have dropped about 23% due to heavy investments in AI data centers and its role as a major owner and security partner for TikTok's U.S. operations, despite cloud revenue growing 121% year-over-year. Ellison has also pledged 346 million shares as collateral for personal loans and continues backing his son's ventures, including guaranteeing $40 billion for the Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition.

• Larry Ellison canceled plans to sell up to 50 million Oracle shares (approx. $7.5 billion); announcement made September 13, 2026.
• The trading plan was set in late June 2026, expiring October 24, but no shares were sold before cancellation.
• Ellison retains a 40% stake as Oracle's largest individual shareholder and has no further sale intentions.

Midjourney seeks to force Hollywood studios to disclose AI usage

In an ongoing copyright lawsuit, Midjourney is attempting to compel Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros. to reveal their own use of generative AI. The AI startup, sued by the studios for allegedly training its models on copyrighted characters, argues that its practices fall under the US fair use doctrine. A judge has already ordered the studios to disclose AI usage in consumer-facing videos and images, but Midjourney is pushing to remove this limitation, demanding all internal AI use, prompts, and outputs. The company claims that if the studios are using similar AI training internally, it would prove an industry-wide practice. David Singer, the studios' lead lawyer, insists they do not aim to halt AI technology but want Midjourney to stop copying their films and distributing derivative works.

• Midjourney is in a copyright dispute with Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros.
• The studios sued Midjourney last year for alleged copyright infringement.
• A judge ordered the studios to disclose generative AI usage for consumer-facing content.

1931 Disney & Looney Tunes Shorts Enter Public Domain 2027

On January 1, 2027, a set of American animated shorts first released in 1931 — including early Walt Disney (Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphony) films and Warner Bros. Looney Tunes / Merrie Melodies cartoons starring Bosko — will enter the U.S. public domain. The move frees the original 1931 footage, soundtracks, and character designs from copyright restrictions for those specific films, enabling copying, distribution, adaptation, and reuse without permission. Trademarks and later character iterations remain protected. The article highlights notable 1931 Disney shorts (The Moose Hunt, The Delivery Boy) and a slate of Bosko cartoons, and notes the significance for historians, restorers, filmmakers, and streaming/archive preparation.

• A group of films first published in 1931 will enter the U.S. public domain on January 1, 2027, after 95 years of copyright protection.
• The cohort includes early Walt Disney Productions shorts from the Mickey Mouse series and Silly Symphony lineup.
• Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons from 1931 featuring the character Bosko are included in the public-domain release.