LOS ANGELES — EBONY Media Group has launched EBONY Voices, a new multimedia series focused on human-interest stories aimed at connecting and uplifting communities. The debut release is a short film, “Standing in the Ashes: One Year After the Altadena Fires,” marking one year since the Eaton wildfire devastated parts of Los Angeles County in January 2024.

Film details

“Standing in the Ashes” is directed by Lyric Perez and produced by EBONY Media Owner and CEO Eden Bridgeman Sklenar and EVP of Editorial Content Cori Murray.

The film follows three long-time Altadena families as they navigate loss, rebuilding, and whether to remain in a historically Black community disproportionately impacted by the disaster:

• Staci and Thomas Andrews
• Ronda Carson and her mother, Barbara Carson
• Antoinette “Toni” Bailey-Raines, a community leader recognized as a 2025 EBONY Power 100 Community Crusader

Bailey-Raines co-hosts Altadena Talks, a grassroots radio show and podcast launched in response to the fires.

What EBONY is saying

“Standing in the Ashes reflects what EBONY Voices was created to do—center humanity, honor legacy, and ensure our communities are not reduced to statistics in moments of crisis,” Bridgeman Sklenar said in the release. “These families remind us that rebuilding is not just about homes, but about protecting history, culture, and the right to remain rooted where generations before them built a future.”

Impact of the Eaton wildfire

According to the release, the Eaton wildfire:

• Claimed 19 lives
• Destroyed or damaged 9,418 homes and buildings

The release also cites a UCLA Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies data study indicating disproportionate impacts in Altadena:

• At least 60% of affected homes were Black households
• 61% of Black households were within the fire perimeter (vs. 50% of non-Black households)
• Nearly half of Black households experienced destruction or major damage
• A majority of Black homeowners in the area are over age 65

Where to watch

“Standing in the Ashes: One Year After the Altadena Fires” is available now as part of EBONY Voices:

• https://www.ebony.com/ebony-voices-remembering-altadena/

About EBONY

For 80 years, EBONY has chronicled the Black American experience and has expanded into a multimedia brand spanning EBONY, EBONY Studios, and JET, with a stated mission to Move Black Forward.

Sources: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ebony-media-debuts-ebony-voices-with-short-film-standing-in-the-ashes-marking-one-year-since-altadena-fires-302656624.html , https://www.ebony.com/ebony-voices-remembering-altadena/

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The company announced a North American transactional VOD release for A Murder Between Friends on Jan. 13, 2026, via a deal with Scott J. Jones and Artist View Entertainment. The “murder-com” feature stars — and is produced by — Dame Joan Collins (Dynasty), with Mark Rozzano writing and producing and Jacob Young and Trent Garrett co-directing.

The film was shot on location at Úsobí Castle in the Czech Republic and leans into classic country-estate mystery energy: six friends on vacation, one of them murdered, and everyone suddenly a suspect.

Synopsis (official): When six friends vacation at the country estate of a legendary true-crime TV star (Collins), the last thing they expect is to find one of their own murdered. Everyone is a suspect as they try to determine who among them would have the means, motive, and opportunity. As tensions grow, they enlist the aid of their celebrity sleuth hostess to uncover the truth before the killer can strike again.

The cast includes Nadia Bjorlin, Jacob Young, Trent Garrett, Toby-Alexander Smith, Simon Cotton, India Thain, Hana Vagnerová, Jim Borstelmann, and internet personality Espen Hatleskog (IG’s @pilotviking).

Vision Films CEO Lise Romanoff called it a twist-heavy mystery that keeps flipping expectations, with Collins bringing “authenticity and humor for a suspense-filled ride.”

Trailer: https://youtu.be/eUdW9Jt_rxw

Where to watch: A Murder Between Friends will be available on most major streaming and cable platforms across the U.S. and Canada on Jan. 13, 2026. Pre-orders are live on iTunes/Apple TV (US, CA) and Vudu/Fandango at Home (US).

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Hulu is adding a new cult-leaning superhero to its lineup. Cineverse (Nasdaq: CNVS) announced that Hulu has acquired streaming rights to The Toxic Avenger, with the film set to make its SVOD premiere on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026.

The action-comedy/horror title has already built strong buzz with critics and genre fans, including an 86% score on Rotten Tomatoes, according to Cineverse.

A reboot with a stacked cast

Written and directed by Macon Blair (I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore), The Toxic Avenger features an ensemble cast led by Peter Dinklage as Winston Gooze, a downtrodden janitor whose life changes after a catastrophic toxic accident.

Cineverse highlighted additional cast members including Kevin Bacon, Elijah Wood, Jacob Tremblay, and Taylour Paige.

What the story is about

The film follows Winston Gooze after he’s transformed into a new kind of radioactive hero: the Toxic Avenger. Now “Toxie” must go from outcast to savior, taking on corporate overlords and corrupt forces while trying to protect his son, his friends, and his community.

In Cineverse’s words: in a world where greed runs rampant, “justice is best served radioactive.”

A campaign with real-world impact

Beyond the film’s critical reception, Cineverse credited the movie’s campaign with helping eliminate more than $15 million in medical debt for over 10,000 people, in partnership with Undue Medical Debt.

Where it goes after Hulu

Cineverse said Hulu’s debut will be part of an exclusive window. After that, the film is expected to become available on other SVOD and FAST platforms, including Cineverse’s horror-focused streaming brand Screambox.

For viewers who don’t want to wait, Cineverse noted the film is currently available to rent (TVOD) or purchase digitally and on physical media.

About Cineverse

Cineverse describes itself as a “next-generation entertainment studio” that distributes more than 71,000 films, series, and podcasts, and includes properties such as Bloody Disgusting and a network of streaming fandom channels.

What to watch for

For Hulu subscribers, The Toxic Avenger could be a notable early-2026 add—especially for fans of horror-comedy, offbeat superhero stories, and cult franchises getting modern reboots.

Advertisement

Premiere date: Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026
Platform: Hulu

Source: PRNewswire (Cineverse), Jan. 6, 2026 — Read the release

Looking for an entertainment experience that transcends the ordinary? Look no further than STM Daily News Blog’s vibrant Entertainment section. Immerse yourself in the captivating world of indie films, streaming and podcasts, movie reviews, music, expos, venues, and theme and amusement parks. Discover hidden cinematic gems, binge-worthy series and addictive podcasts, gain insights into the latest releases with our movie reviews, explore the latest trends in music, dive into the vibrant atmosphere of expos, and embark on thrilling adventures in breathtaking venues and theme parks. Join us at STM Entertainment and let your entertainment journey begin! https://stmdailynews.com/category/entertainment/

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