DUBAI: The production wing of MBC Group, O3 Productions, has announced on Sunday a new partnership deal with Abu Dhabi’s Image Nation to produce films and TV shows for the Saudi market, according to an official statement on their website.
The first project they will produce and finance together will be an Arabic-language feature film based on Ibraheem Abbas’s sci-fi novel “HWJN.” The two companies also have plans for a TV spinoff of “The Delusionists,” with further details to be announced at a later date.
“As O3, this project is a landmark one for us as we are embarking on an exciting journey into an innovative and fresh genre of Saudi drama based on a bestseller novel and its exciting world created by the pioneer work of Yatakhayaloon team,” said Fadi Ismael, group director of O3 Productions, in a statement announcing the deal.
“We are happy that we are not alone in such a venture but joined forces with Image Nation working closely with its team to produce what we hope will lead to a higher quality of captivating storytelling and production values in film and TV drama in this project and beyond,” he said.
Ismael appeared on a panel this week in Saudi’s first pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival, where he referred to the changes taking place in the country’s film industry as a “brave new world.”
MBC’s O3 announces deal with UAE’s Image Nation
MBC’s O3 announces deal with UAE’s Image Nation
Australia asks for meeting with Roblox after grooming, content complaints
- The Australian government wrote to the US-listed tech firm expressing “grave concern” about reports that children were being approached by predators and exposed to harmful material
SYDNEY: The Australian government has called a meeting with gaming platform Roblox over reports of child grooming and exposure to graphic content on the platform, while a regulator said it will test whether Roblox had delivered on child-safety commitments.
Communications Minister Anika Wells said she wrote to the US-listed tech firm expressing “grave concern” about reports that children were being approached by predators and exposed to harmful material.
“The reports we’ve been hearing about children being exposed to graphic content on Roblox and predators actively using the platform to groom young people are horrendous,” Wells said in a statement.
“Australian parents and children expect more from Roblox.”
A Roblox spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
The statement shows a cooling relationship between Australia and the popular gaming platform which rolled out age-assurance in 2025 to limit online chats to narrow age windows and prevent child grooming. Australia’s eSafety Commissioner welcomed the measure and recommended against including Roblox in a social media ban which began in December.
The Commissioner said it will test Roblox’s age-based safety features, and noted that it could seek fines of up to A$49.5 million (USD) if the platform had failed to comply with the country’s online child protection laws.
“We remain highly concerned by ongoing reports regarding the exploitation of children on the Roblox service, and exposure to harmful material,” Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said.
