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Taika Waititi's long-announced Star Wars movie has been put on hold indefinitely, according to reports. Waititi reportedly remains attached to the franchise in some capacity despite the project's suspension.
A franchising expert writing for Entrepreneur argues that AI should support, not replace, human judgment in franchise operations. The piece recommends brands adopt a company-wide AI policy with approved private platforms and data-privacy training to protect proprietary information and prevent leaks.
Horror author Clive Barker says he now holds the rights to Hellraiser and wants to develop new ideas for the franchise on screen. He credits renewed interest in the property partly to a recent video game adaptation.
The Picklr, a fast-growing pickleball club franchisor, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a Texas federal court. Founder Jorge Barragan says the company's holding firm had guaranteed lease payments for roughly 40 early franchise locations, leaving it overextended. The company reported a $4.4 million net loss on $10.3 million revenue in 2025 and about $19 million in liabilities as of March.
Dave's Hot Chicken opened its 500th location on October 8 in Phoenix, according to Food & Beverage Magazine. The chain started in 2017 when three friends launched it with $900 and portable fryers in an East Hollywood parking lot, later franchising with Wetzel's Pretzels co-founder Bill Phelps and selling a majority stake to private equity firm Roark Capital in 2025 at roughly a $1 billion valuation.
Antima Jain and Pooja Choudhary, friends who met 11 years ago in Minnesota, used their own savings to launch a Color Me Mine paint-your-own pottery studio franchise in Edina in March 2025. The pair, both immigrants from India, bonded over shared interests before deciding to start a business together as their children grew more independent.
Avatar Studios has greenlit 'Avatar Kuruk: Wave of Chaos,' a new animated series set for four seasons that explores the origin story of Kuruk, the waterbending Avatar referenced in the original 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' lore. The show is described as an action-comedy and is part of the expanding 'Avatar: Seven Havens' franchise universe.
Chick-fil-A CEO Andrew Cathy told Restaurant Business he welcomes growing competition in the chicken segment, including McDonald's new push to gain 1.5 points of chicken market share by 2030 as part of an $8.5 billion modernization plan. Technomic data cited in the report shows chicken chains grew 5.3% in sales in 2025, outpacing the broader restaurant industry's 3% growth and burger chains' 1.5%. Cathy said his focus remains on order accuracy, food quality and hospitality, and that Chick-fil-A has no plans to replace human order takers with AI.
The BBC has released a first look at a new animated spin-off of 'Doctor Who' aimed at pre-school audiences. The preview introduces visual style and characters tailored for younger viewers, extending the franchise into a new format.
The latest installment of the V/H/S found-footage horror anthology, titled 'V/H/S/Mixtape', has been released, featuring a mix of short segments including an appearance by the band Gwar. Reviewers note that while a few segments stand out, the overall collection fails to match the strongest entries in the franchise's history.
Crumbl's sales have plummeted, with August revenue down 70% compared to two years prior, and foot traffic decreasing by 32% year over year. The company has closed at least 57 stores this year and laid off much of its franchise support staff. CEO Jason McGowan has taken responsibility for the downturn, citing internal missteps and a failed product launch involving sugary sodas, while announcing upcoming leadership changes.
Meritage Hospitality Group, one of Wendy's largest franchisees, closed another round of restaurants on Friday, marking the second consecutive weekend of permanent shutdowns. The closures follow the company's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing as it works to restructure its operations.