🎬 Sora 2: The Next Step in AI Video

OpenAI’s new app blends video, sound and social sharing | Streaming in Short - W40

Yann Colleter

Oct 03, 2025

This week, I cover OpenAI launching Sora 2, its new AI video app, EA’s $55B acquisition deal, and how TikTok, YouTube and Twitch are pitching themselves as partners to TV execs.

🎬 Sora 2: OpenAI’s New Video App

👉 OpenAI has launched Sora 2, a new AI model that makes videos and sound together, plus a new Sora app to try it.

📍 What’s new:

Videos look more realistic and natural, with better physics.
You can add dialogue and sound effects in sync with the video.
The model follows detailed prompts across multiple shots.
With cameos, you can put yourself (or friends) inside any scene.

💡Sora 2 feels like a big step forward for AI video, moving from fun demos to something creative and social. The new app could change how people make and share short videos, not just watch them.

🎮 EA to Be Acquired for $55B

👉 Electronic Arts (EA) will be bought by a consortium of Saudi Arabia’s PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners in an all-cash deal worth $55 billion.

📍 Key details:

EA stockholders get $210 per share, a 25% premium.
Deal is the largest all-cash take-private in history.
PIF rolls over its existing 9.9% stake.
EA will stay headquartered in California, led by CEO Andrew Wilson.

💡 The deal gives EA access to deep pockets and networks across gaming, sports, and entertainment, accelerating its growth. It also shows how Saudi Arabia’s PIF is doubling down on gaming, positioning itself as a major global player.

💡 In collaboration with WSC Sports

Fans don’t always watch a full game anymore. Instead, they’re spending more time in apps, engaging with short videos that hook them right away.

The new In-App Stories & Moments report from WSC Sports shows how fans really engage:

1️⃣ Fans love players → Stories about players keep people watching the longest, with a 47% completion rate.

2️⃣ Pre-game is a big chance → Only 6% of Stories are shared before kick-off, but they get 2x more clicks than in-game ones.

3️⃣ CTAs really work → In-App Story CTAs get a 12.3% click rate: 25× better than the average. Fans don’t just watch, they take action.

4️⃣ First seconds decide everything → 26% of fans leave after the first card, and another 40% soon after. If you don’t hook them quickly, they swipe away.

5️⃣ Shorter is better → Stories are now 12% shorter than last year, lasting just under 3 minutes. Fans want quick, direct content.

🏆 My takeaway: Stories and Moments are more than highlights. They’re the starting point for fan engagement, action, and revenue.

Get the full report

📱 TikTok, YouTube & Twitch Want to Partner With Film & TV

What happened?

👉 At Iberseries & Platino Industria in Madrid, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitch told film and TV executives: “We want to work with you, not replace you.”

Key details:

YouTube said it can be a partner for producers and creators.
TikTok promoted Amazon’s The Summer I Turned Pretty with fan campaigns.
Twitch is moving beyond gaming, with rewards (“Twitch Drops”) linked to Minecraft and A Minecraft Movie.
In Spain, free streaming services are growing fast, with YouTube leading the space.

Why it matters?

🎯 Big digital platforms are showing they can help traditional media reach new audiences. The gap between social video and film/TV is closing quickly.

🎙️ PODCAST: Golden Globes Add Podcast Category

The Golden Globes will give a Best Podcast award for the first time at the 83rd ceremony in January. 25 shows are eligible, including Call Her Daddy, SmartLess, The Joe Rogan Experience, The Daily, and Armchair Expert. The list will be cut to six nominees on Dec. 8.

For the Globes, this is about recognizing podcasting as a big part of modern entertainment alongside film and TV.

🤖 AI: AI Actress Tilly Norwood Faces Backlash

AI character Tilly Norwood drew criticism from Hollywood stars after news that talent agents were interested in signing her.

For creator Eline Van der Velden, Tilly is “a new tool, not a replacement”, comparing AI to animation or CGI as another way to tell stories.

⚽ FOOTBALL: Saudi Pro League Boosts Media Rights Revenue

The Saudi Pro League says international broadcast revenue is up 20% over the past 2 seasons, with 37 media rights deals now in place for 2025/26.

For the league, this growth shows the rising global appeal of Saudi football, with matches available in 180+ markets and major partners like DAZN, ESPN, and Fox Sports.

🎮 GAMING: Dubai Media Partners With Livewire on Gaming

Dubai Media has teamed up with Livewire, a global gaming marketing company, to enter the fast-growing gaming sector.

For Dubai Media, the move is about offering brands new ways to reach Gen Z and millennials, using immersive adtech, in-game activations, and branded content, while strengthening Dubai’s role as a hub for innovation and next-gen storytelling.

🎬 CINEMA: Saudi Film Commission Publishes First Annual Report

The Saudi Film Commission has released its first annual report, showing over SR3.5 billion ($933m) invested in cinema infrastructure, content services, and technology.

For Saudi Arabia, the report highlights steady growth in film production, talent development, and festivals, reinforcing its ambition to become a regional and global hub for the film industry.

🇫🇷 CANNES: I’m Going to MIPCOM 2025

I’ll be at MIPCOM Cannes this year to follow the key talks about film, TV, and streaming.

I’ve made a list of sessions I’d like to attend, from FAST & AVOD to AI, YouTube, micro-drama, and even The Walking Dead. My goal is to bring back useful insights for the MENA streaming industry.

DM me if you’ll be in Cannes and want to meet.

💻 DUBAI: GITEX GLOBAL Returns for 45th Edition

GITEX GLOBAL 2025 opens across Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai Harbour, with 40+ halls showcasing the biggest names in AI, cybersecurity, mobility, and sustainable tech.

Now in its 45th year, the show brings together creators, investors, and startups for five days of conferences, workshops, and networking. Alongside GITEX, nine co-located shows run, including AI Everything, Fintech Surge, Future Blockchain Summit, and Expand North Star.

🏫 Wayward from Mae Martin (Netflix, 8 episodes): A small-town cop suspects that the local school for troubled teens, and its dangerously charismatic founder, may not be all it seems.

🧠 High Potential season 2 from Drew Goddard (Disney+, 18 episodes): Morgan is a single mom with an exceptional mind, whose unconventional knack for solving crimes leads to an unusual and unstoppable partnership with a by-the-book seasoned detective.

🧟 15 years ago, The Walking Dead premiered on AMC. Based on Robert Kirkman’s comic series, the show followed sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes and a group of survivors navigating a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. With its gripping survival drama, shocking character deaths, and unforgettable villains like Negan and the Governor, the series became a global hit. The Walking Dead redefined the horror genre on TV and launched an entire universe of spin-offs that continue today.