Laila Lockhart Kraner stars as Gabby in Universal and Dreamworks Animations’ “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie.”

Universal | Dreamworks Animation

A young girl named Gabby, alongside her menagerie of animated cat friends, is making the leap from streaming to the big screen.

Universal and DreamWorks Animation’s “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” is the latest kid’s TV show to head to the box office, following in the footsteps of Paramount’s Paw Patrol and SpongeBob SquarePants franchises.

“We felt like the franchise had gotten to the point where there was enough fandom to justify a theatrical event, and we wanted to expand the world,” Margie Cohn, president of DreamWorks Animation, told CNBC.

Children’s programming has become an increasingly important piece of the media landscape in recent years. As linear TV has given way to streaming, studios are looking for ways to drive and sustain subscriber growth. For “Gabby’s Dollhouse,” establishing a theatrical presence increases awareness of the brand, stirs up fresh excitement from existing fans and spurs new opportunities for products in the retail market.

“Gabby’s Dollhouse,” created by “Blue’s Clues” veterans Traci Paige Johnson and Jennifer Twomey, launched on Netflix in 2021. It’s already run for 11 seasons, and a 12th is on due out in November. Each season has six to 10 episodes, about 25 minutes each.

It’s been the most-viewed streaming original series for kids this year, according to Nielsen.

Each episode begins with a live-action Gabby, played by Laila Lockhart Kraner, as she unboxes a miniature package that sparks an adventure in her magical dollhouse. She dons her cat-ear headband, shrinks down to become an animated character and joins her cat friends, called Gabby’s cats. Like a lot of preschool shows, Gabby pauses to ask the audience questions and invite them to play along.

Those elements all appear in the full-length feature film, which arrived in theaters Friday. It melds animation and live-action, but at a bigger scale.

Cohn said the goal was to create a theatrical experience, akin to a “‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ for little kids.’ Invite them to sing, dance, clap.”

“Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” debuts at a time when the movie calendar has limited family-friendly options. The most recent major releases in this genre were Disney’s “Freakier Friday” and Universal’s “The Bad Guys 2,” both of which were released in early August.

While there has been a steady stream of family-friendly fare in recent years, it comes after a considerable dry spell caused by the pandemic and dual Hollywood labor strikes shutting down production. At the same time, consumers’ habits shifted as streaming services grew in popularity and studios shortened the time it took for movies released in cinemas to reach the home market.

But younger viewers are some of the most engaged, and a primary driver to get families out to the theater.

Kids are some of the most fervent streaming users, too, as they tend to watch the same content over and over again, leading to high engagement. That’s why kid-friendly shows have offer a unique value proposition for studios even as traditional linear television and the theatrical landscape has become less reliable.

Presenting their favorite characters in more places can mean spreading the wealth and ultimately fueling their appetites for more.

“One need only look at the big screen-small screen synergies that were created by ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ to see how ‘Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie’ could similarly make the leap from a small screen 2021 series into a big screen cinematic event in 2025,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.

Heading to the big screen

A global theatrical release not only serves the strong domestic market, but extends the reach of “Gabby’s Dollhouse” internationally. Cohn noted that Europe is one region where the show is gaining traction.

“As a relatively new franchise with notable reach into the marketing world aimed at today’s youngest generations, this is a film that should capture the interest of that audience and continue showcasing its strengths as a fresh brand,” said Shawn Robbins, director of analytics at Fandango and founder of Box Office Theory.

And it can be a relatively affordable way to extend a franchise’s reach.

“Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” had a production budget of just over $30 million, a small investment for the likes of Universal and DreamWorks Animation compared to other theatrical kids films. For example, franchise films from Disney’s Pixar and Universal’s other animation arm, Illumination, can cost upwards of $200 million to create.

Still from Universal and Dreamworks Animation’s “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie.”

Universal | Dreamworks Animation

“At DreamWorks, we know how to make a budget fit,” Cohn said. “We make some really big, high-budget, all-audience animated films. But then we also do smaller films like ‘Captain Underpants’ or the most recent one with ‘Dog Man.’ We know how to make high-quality movies for a lower price point.”

Paramount’s two Paw Patrol films had similarly small budgets, according to media reports. “Paw Patrol: The Movie,” released in 2021, generated $40 million domestically and more than $145 million globally, according to data from Comscore. Meanwhile, 2023’s “Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie” collected $65 million domestically and $200 globally.

Universal estimated that “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” snared $13.7 million in domestic ticket sales during its opening weekend. That’s just shy of the $15 million to $25 million that box office analysts had predicted.

More than just a movie

While theatrical revenues are important, bringing “Gabby’s Dollhouse” to the big screen is part of a wider strategy. The content is part of an interconnected ecosystem that includes toys, books, merchandise and live events.

“I came from Nickelodeon,” Cohn said. “We studied the audience a lot, and we knew that they liked to watch a show, but then they wanted to play it, iterate on it, and experience the characters and ideas in their own way, in their own form. And so we developed the Gabby franchise to let them do just that.”

DreamWorks partnered with toy company Spin Master to manufacture a line of toys tied to “Gabby’s Dollhouse.” The range of products includes playsets, figures, plush toys, games and puzzles. Since launching the line, Spin Master has sold four million dollhouses tied to the show.

Cohn said DreamWorks Animation “nurtured and brewed success” for “Gabby’s Dollhouse” with through the Spin Master partnership as well as through the production of YouTube shorts, grassroots marketing and a traveling live show presented by Walmart.

“The series just grew and grew and grew,” Cohn said. “And then it gets to a certain point you’re able to deliver on bigger strategic franchise expansion with live entertainment and shows in museums and presence in the parks and music, you know, all that comes when you have a property that kids respond to.”

“Gabby’s Dollhouse” has been a top five preschool toy property for five of the last eight quarters, according to data from Circana. It has been a top 10 property for 10 straight quarters.

In addition to toys, “Gabby’s Dollhouse” has merchandise collections with Walmart, Target and Amazon, that include apparel, home goods, games and even toothbrushes. As the film heads to theaters, audiences will be able to buy themed popcorn buckets, drink tumblers and other specialty items.

The franchise has also become part of Universal’s theme parks, with character meet-and-greets with Gabby and retail areas where guests can buy headbands, plush and apparel.

And Universal isn’t stopping there. “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” sets up a bigger future for Gabby and a potential spin-off series. As the film credits roll, Gabby puts the finishing touches on a new dollhouse — a dog dollhouse that she says her little sister will love.

When asked about what “Gabby Dollhouse” fans can expect following the reveal, Cohn teased, “You’re gonna have to wait and see.”

Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of Fandango and NBCUniversal, which owns CNBC. Versant would become the new parent company of Fandango and CNBC upon Comcast’s planned spinoff of Versant.

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Warner Bros. Discovery Chief Financial Officer Gunnar Wiedenfels walks to a session at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference on July 9, 2025 in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images

Legacy media is in a time of tumult. And it’s bringing a new crop of decision-makers to the fore.

In an industry that’s long been run by storied Hollywood executives, usually with resumes in content and programming, those with finance backgrounds and track records of deal-making are increasingly reshaping the landscape.

Many of those leaders — some of whom recently attended Allen & Co.’s annual conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, known as “summer camp for billionaires” — will be featured on conference calls in the coming weeks as the media industry reports quarterly earnings. Netflix will kick off media’s earnings season on Thursday.

Industry analysts and experts say the elevation of these previously lesser-heard-from media executives comes as the industry shifts its focus to stemming the cable TV bleed, making streaming profitable and reining in content spending budgets. It’s also a signal that these companies are in a moment of transformation, and there’s a need to enlist leaders who have a different mindset than the old guard.

“It is probably a sign that these businesses are in perpetual decline and the only way to survive is to financial engineer your way towards any sort of modest growth, or just less decline than would be otherwise typical,” said Brandon Nispel, an analyst at KeyBanc Capital Markets.

The most recent example came last month when Warner Bros. Discovery announced its intention to split into two public companies next year. Current CEO David Zaslav will run the streaming and studios company, while CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels will step into the top job at the global networks business.

Before serving as WBD’s finance chief, Wiedenfels held the same post at Discovery prior to its merger with Warner Media in 2022. And before that, he was CFO at German media company ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE.

His past contrasts with the typical legacy media CEOs such as Disney chief Bob Iger, who held various entertainment roles before taking the top job, including at ABC Entertainment where he was in charge of green-lighting TV series. Iger’s predecessor, Michael Eisner, had a foundation that included stints across top media companies. Media mogul Barry Diller rose through the ranks of entertainment — from the mailroom at the William Morris Agency to eventually top roles at Paramount and Fox.

Even Wiedenfels’ counterpart, Zaslav, was on the TV programming side for much of his career prior to taking over as CEO.

This trend toward finance and operation leaders has been propelled by Netflix’s upheaval of the media industry, said Jonathan Miller, chief executive of Integrated Media, which specializes in digital media investments. Miller is a longtime senior media industry executive who’s held top posts at News Corp. and AOL. He is also a former board member at Hulu.

As Netflix courted consumers to its streaming platform, it “just outspent everybody” to bulk up its library, said Miller.

“In my view, that diminished the role of creative programmers who most typically would have been the ones to run this kind of company,” said Miller. “Managing the money is now at least as important, if not more, than the creative side. I’m not sure if that should be true, but I think that’s where we are in the industry.”

Strategic shift

Greg Peters, Co-CEO of Netflix, speaks at a keynote on the future of entertainment at Mobile World Congress 2023.

Joan Cros | Nurphoto | Getty Images

In 2023, industry disruptor Netflix stepped outside the box when it promoted Greg Peters, previously the company’s COO, as co-CEO with Ted Sarandos after Reed Hastings announced he would step back.

While Sarandos has long been in charge of content, Peters had focused on growing the business beyond DVDs and into streaming, expanding partnerships and growing the international footprint — all key to the media giant’s growth.

In Hastings’ note announcing the leadership change, he called Peters’ track record “instrumental in driving our partnerships, building and launching advertising, pushing us into deeper personalization, rebuilding our talent organization and helping to strength our culture.”

Bringing an executive like Peters to the forefront of decision-making and leadership proved to be another sign of Netflix’s disruptive nature — both internally and industrywide.

Hastings had long been against instituting an advertising model that would offer a cheaper option for subscribers, and the company had ignored password sharing among its customers for years. But when subscriber growth stalled the company shifted gears, and it has proven fruitful, as evidenced by both company growth across revenue, profitability and subscriber base. In response, Netflix’s stock has soared.

“Ted is the content guy there, right? He just lives for film and TV and the art of that. I think Netflix is one of the few places that the co-CEO framework seems to work,” said UBS analyst John Hodulik. “It lets Ted do what he loves doing, and content is key to the growth of that business. While Greg, he seems to be more of the nuts and bolts business background.”

There’s also the promotion of Mike Cavanagh to president of Comcast in 2022 after previously serving as CFO of the cable giant since 2015. Cavanagh’s remit expanded months later when Jeff Shell exited his CEO role at Comcast’s NBCUniversal, and Cavanagh took over direct leadership of the company’s TV, film and theme parks units.

Under Cavanagh’s leadership, NBCUniversal has made a variety of strategic moves. Soon after he assumed leadership of NBCUniversal, the unit was restructured. About a year later at Sun Valley, Cavanagh began laying the groundwork for NBCUniversal to spin out most of its cable TV networks.

Comcast CEO Brian Roberts has publicly said the cable spinout, one of Comcast’s most significant moves in years, was Cavanagh’s idea.

Cavanagh, who was previously co-CEO of JPMorgan’s corporate and investment bank, is frequently put forth by industry insiders as the heir apparent to Comcast’s lead role, and his oversight of NBCUniversal gives him the chance to embed in the sports and entertainment side of the business after much focus on the cable and broadband parent company.

(L-R) Michael Cavanagh, then-chief financial officer of Comcast, talks with Brian Roberts, chief executive officer of Comcast, as they arrive for the annual Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference, July 9, 2019 in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Drew Angerer | Getty Images

A shift toward financial expertise has been true in cable and broadband as well. Charter Communications’ current leader, Chris Winfrey, took on the CEO job after serving as CFO and COO under longtime cable executive Tom Rutledge. Since taking over, Winfrey has orchestrated various changes at the company, most recently the proposed acquisition of Cox Communications.

It’s even extended to the restaurant industry in recent months, where CFOs have been tapped for the CEO role at companies such as Panera Brands, Jack In The Box and most recently, Yum! Brands.

And it could play a role in the selection of Disney’s successor to CEO Iger.

The Disney board has been narrowing down potential successors to Iger, with an announcement expected next year. Disney’s four chairs — Disney Entertainment Co-Chairs Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro and ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro — have been interviewed for the top job.

Walden’s deep history in entertainment programming puts her in a favorable position, but CNBC earlier reported that criticism of her business acumen could affect her chances, despite her overseeing the streaming unit when it reached profitability. CFO Hugh Johnston has been speculated to be part of the conversation, but he’s not part of the formal succession planning, said a person familiar with the matter who declined to be named speaking about internal matters.

Still, it’s very much undecided who will be the next CEO of Disney and the process is in early stages, said the person. Iger’s contract was extended through the end of 2026, giving the board more time for the due diligence process, CNBC previously reported.

A Disney representative declined to comment.

— CNBC’s Amelia Lucas and Alex Sherman contributed to this article.

Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of CNBC. Versant would be the parent company of CNBC under the proposed cable spinout. Comcast is a part owner of Hulu.

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Tim Kuniskis, head of NAFTA Passenger Car Brands for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, speaks during the reveal of the Fiat Chrysler 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon sports vehicle ahead of the 2017 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) in New York, U.S., on Tuesday, April 11, 2017.

Mark Kauzlarich | Bloomberg | Getty Images

New Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa, who took over the top job one week ago, has made his first major leadership move, promoting Tim Kuniskis to oversee all American brands and lead marketing and retail strategy in North America.

Kuniskis remains CEO of Ram. He now has a broader role across the company’s U.S. operations. Kuniskis, who came out of retirement after seven months, returned to Stellantis late last year after former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares unexpectedly stepped down.

Stellantis is also bringing back the Street and Racing Technology performance division.

SRT will combine engineers from Dodge, Jeep, Ram, and Chrysler and will focus on high-performance vehicles and motorsports.

“SRT is another box we needed to check,” Kuniskis said in a press release Wednesday. “We’re getting the band back together.”

Kuniskis is also leading a major product launch at Ram as part of an effort to combat yearslong sales declines. The brand plans to launch 25 new products throughout the next 18 months.

Earlier this month, Kuniskis announced the return of its popular V-8 Hemi engines for its Ram 1500 full-size pickup trucks. Ram plans to offer the engine again in early 2026.

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Sam Altman’s identity verification venture World is launching its eye-scanning Orb product in the U.K.

World

LONDON — World, the biometric identity verification project co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, is set to launch in the U.K. this week.

The venture, which uses a spherical eye-scanning device called the Orb to scan people’s eyes, will become available in London from Thursday and is planning to roll out to several other major U.K. cities — including Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Belfast, and Glasgow — in the coming months.

The project aims to authenticate the identity of humans with its Orb device and prevent the fraudulent abuse of artificial intelligence systems like deep fakes.

It works by scanning a person’s face and iris and then creating a unique code to verify that the individual is a human and not an AI.

Once someone has created their iris code, they are then gifted some of World’s WLD cryptocurrency and can use an anonymous identifier called World ID to sign into various applications. It currently works with the likes of Minecraft, Reddit and Discord.

From ‘science project’ to reality

Adrian Ludwig, chief architect of Tools for Humanity, which is a core contributor to World, told CNBC on a call that the project is seeing significant demand from both enterprise users and governments as the threat of AI to defraud various services — from banking to online gaming — grows.

“The idea is no longer just something that’s theoretical. It’s something that’s real and affecting them every single day,” he said, adding that World is now transitioning “from science project to a real network.”

The venture recently opened up shop in the U.S. with six flagship retail locations including Austin, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Nashville, Miami and San Francisco. Ludwig said that looking ahead, the plan is to “increase the number of people who can be verified by an order of magnitude over the next few months.”

Ever since its initial launch as “Worldcoin” in 2021, Altman’s World has been plagued by concerns over how it could affect users’ privacy. The startup says it addresses these concerns by encrypting the biometric data collected and ensuring the original data is deleted.

On top of that, World’s verification system also depends on a decentralized network of users’ smartphones rather than the cloud to carry out individual identity checks.

Still, this becomes harder to do in a network with billions of users like Facebook or TikTok, for example. For now, World has 13 million verified users and is planning to scale that up.

Ludwig argues World is a scalable network as all of the computation and storage is processed locally on a user’s device — it’s only the infrastructure for confirming someone’s uniqueness that is handled by third-party providers.

Digital ID schemes

Ludwig says the way technology is evolving means it’s getting much easier for new AI systems to bypass currently available authentication methods such as facial recognition and CAPTCHA bot prevention measures.

He sees World serving a pertinent need in the transition from physical to digital identity systems. Governments are exploring digital ID schemes to move away from physical cards.

However, so far, these attempts have been far from perfect.

One example of a major digital identity system is India’s Aadhaar. Although the initiative has seen widespread adoption, it has also been the target of criticisms for lax security and allegedly worsening social inequality for Indians.

“We’re beginning to see governments now more interested in how can we use this as a mechanism to improve our identity infrastructure,” Ludwig told CNBC. “Mechanisms to identify and reduce fraud is of interest to governments.”

The technologist added that World has been talking to various regulators about its identity verification solution — including the Information Commissioner’s Office, which oversees data protection in the U.K.

“We’ve been having lots of conversations with regulators,” Ludwig told CNBC. “In general, there’s been lots of questions: how do we make sure this works? How do we protect privacy? If we engage with this, does it expose us to risks?”

“All of those questions we’ve been able to answer,” he added. “It’s been a while since we’ve had a question asked we didn’t have an answer to.”

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