2026 Takeaways

• The APOS conference identified eight key themes shaping Asia's entertainment landscape for 2026, with a primary focus on AI, sports, vertical content, and government incentives. • Crunchyroll is expanding into Taiwan and South Korea, signaling a shift where anime fandom is leveraged as a primary economic engine for growth. • JioStar Sports CEO Ishan Chatterjee reported massive scale in cricket viewership, reaching 1.2 billion viewers per IPL season and a record 72.5 million concurrent digital viewers during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Final.

• The 28th Shanghai International Film Festival concluded with debut directors dominating the Golden Goblet Awards, signaling a shift toward new cinematic voices. • Zhong Kaifeng’s debut feature, “Atlantic Rhapsody,” won best feature film and best cinematography (awarded to Hao Jiayue) for its portrayal of 1990s Northeast China. • Beyond the awards, the festival served as a critical forum for discussing how AI is reshaping the film industry and China's ongoing push for global cultural influence.

• The APOS 2026 conference identified eight key themes shaping Asia's entertainment landscape, with a primary focus on AI, sports, intellectual property, and vertical content. • Crunchyroll is expanding into Taiwan and South Korea, treating anime fandom as a primary economic engine rather than a secondary marketing tool. • JioStar Sports CEO Ishan Chatterjee reported massive growth in cricket viewership, projecting 1.2 billion viewers for the 2026 IPL season and a record 72.5 million concurrent digital viewers for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Final.