One Piece Spark

Netflix will launch its first streaming-only franchise, with the news (via Bloomberg) that it’s greenlit a sequel to Will Smith film Bright, which is set to stream beginning December 22. Bright has the budget of a Hollywood blockbuster, and a fantasy setting that could be a good fit for an episodic film franchise, given what has traditionally done well with fans in terms of big-budget cinematic universes. Bright had a budget of $90 million, and of course stars Will Smith, himself a draw that you’d typically associate with big Hollywood theatrical productions. It’s not the typical Netflix original movie; those tend to be indie films with modest budgets, and a better chance of resonating with home audiences than dazzling with big-screen special effects. There’s a lot riding on this franchise, now that Netflix has decided to dip its toes into these waters: Sequels are reliable revenue wells for Hollywood studios, as proven by the continued success and popularity of series inclu...

Netflix is adding 4K streaming to Comcast’s set-top box, the Xfinity X1. Now, Xfinity X1 users who have a 4K-capable device and a Netflix premium subscription can watch Netflix in 4K. Before the announcement, Netflix was already available for 4K streaming on most devices, including Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast Ultra, Roku, Sony TV, and more. The announcement comes at a curious time for Netflix, just as Stranger Things season 2 arrives and after the company pulls back on making further seasons of House of Cards. This October, Netflix also hiked prices for its premium plan from $11.99 a month to $13.99 a month. The availability of 4K Ultra HD TVs has increased dramatically, but the availability of native 4K content to watch, although increasing, has lagged behind. Fortunately, Netflix is offering a good deal of it via internet streaming. To take advantage of Netflix 4K streaming, you need the following:     The right TV     The right Netflix subsc...