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Max Knoblauch53m

Netflix is staffing up an apparent AI animation studio called Inkubator

According to several public job listings, streaming giant Netflix appears to be building a GenAI animation studio called Inkubator.

First reported by journalist Janko Roettgers in the LowPass newsletter, Inkubator seems to have launched in March and aims to “develop feature-quality content in a creator-led environment.”

As LowPass reports, Inkubator appears focused on AI-generated shortform animation, but listings imply ambitions toward longer-form content. Netflix didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Inkubator wouldn’t be Netflix’s first foray into AI. Back in March, it acquired Ben Affleck’s AI filmmaking startup InterPositive — which trains on individual films’ already-shot footage — for as much as $600 million depending on certain targets.

Netflix’s potential future AI-generated animations could be served to an increasingly ad-packed streaming service. At Netflix’s upfront presentation on Wednesday, the company said its ad tier has now reached 250 million subscribers globally, up 31% from November.

Netflix is building an AI animation studio

Netflix is building an AI animation studio

As LowPass reports, Inkubator appears focused on AI-generated shortform animation, but listings imply ambitions toward longer-form content. Netflix didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Inkubator wouldn’t be Netflix’s first foray into AI. Back in March, it acquired Ben Affleck’s AI filmmaking startup InterPositive — which trains on individual films’ already-shot footage — for as much as $600 million depending on certain targets.

Netflix’s potential future AI-generated animations could be served to an increasingly ad-packed streaming service. At Netflix’s upfront presentation on Wednesday, the company said its ad tier has now reached 250 million subscribers globally, up 31% from November.

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Saleah Blancaflor22h

Netflix confirms a “KPop Demon Hunters” world concert tour is on the way

Netflix has a “Golden” mine and it's digging deeper.

At its fourth annual TV Upfront presentation on Wednesday, Netflix President of Advertising Amy Reinhard announced a partnership with AEG Presents to create a “KPop Demon Hunters” world tour that will bring the phenomenon to life.

In March, Bloomberg previously reported Netflix was planning a global world tour sometime next year ahead of the sequel in arenas that would hold 10,000 to 20,000 fans, though the news had not been confirmed by the company nor had a partner been in place at the time.

“KPop Demon Hunters” is Netflix’s most watched film of all time, racking up 481.6 million views globally during the second half of 2025. Since its release, the HUNTR/X trio of Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami has appeared and performed at several major events including late-night talk shows, award ceremonies, and most recently at Coachella, where they were a surprise guest for Katseye. It hasn’t been confirmed whether the trio will be on the tour.

The announcement of the tour comes after Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos shared in a recent blog post that the company spent $135 billion on licensing and original film and TV over the last 10 years.

This year, Netflix has a projected content spend of $20 billion, up 10% year over year, while its annual revenue forecast is between $50.7 billion and $51.7 billion. The streaming giant has brought in more than $46 billion in profit over the past decade.

Netflix said more details around cities and tickets for the concert tour are expected to come out later this year.

America’s most popular baby names haven’t changed in 7 years

Boy parents seem to have struggled to look away from one name in particular over the last decade.

Diaper pin

55% of Americans think they are at least “somewhat” cool — which celebrities do they say the same for?

Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Jordan, and John, Paul, George, and Ringo all make the cut.

The 32nd Annual Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA - Show

Max Knoblauch5/12/26

Netflix on Tuesday announced that it has spent more than $135 billion on licensing and original film and TV over the past decade.

“While other entertainment companies pull back, we’re leaning in — spending tens of billions of dollars on content every year, investing in production facilities from Spain to New Jersey,” co-CEO Ted Sarandos said in a blog post accompanying a new interactive site called “The Netflix Effect.”

According to Netflix, the company has contributed $325 billion to the global economy in that time, creating more than 425,000 jobs.

As Sherwood News has previously reported, Netflix continues to increase its content spend, but that investment has notably slowed in recent years when weighed against revenue, dropping from a content spend ratio of $0.72 per $1 of revenue in December 2019 to $0.40 per $1 in March. This year, the company has projected a content spend of $20 billion, up 10% year over year. The company’s annual revenue forecast is between $50.7 billion and $51.7 billion.

All that spending has paid off for Netflix, too: the streamer has pulled in more than $46 billion in profit over the past decade.

Disney just became the first studio to gross $2 billion at the box office in 2026

With a string of successes so far, and some major releases on the slate, Disney is storming the box office this year.

Walt Disney Studios, Paris

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