{
  "id": 16487168,
  "title": "Neighbours is being recut into a microdrama focused on Margot Robbie – and her co-stars aren’t happy",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/neighbours-is-being-recut-into-a-microdrama-focused-on-margot-robbie",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-25T14:00:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Technology",
    "slug": "guardian-technology",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/oct/26/neighbours-soap-recut-ai-microdrama-mobile-series-feat-margot-robbie"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Australian soap opera Neighbours is being reimagined as a microdrama, focused on Margot Robbie's character Donna Freedman, and will be distributed on phones. However, her co-stars are unhappy, claiming they were not consulted about the project. RoseBerry Media, an expert in \"vertical television\" for phones, created the microdrama using an AI-assisted tool called RedSnapper. Two of Robbie's storylines will be recut into vertical micro-episodes, resulting in around 150 minutes of content. Star Stefan Dennis voiced concerns about the project, calling it \"unbelievably invasive, morally and legally wrong.\" Former cast member Matthew Werkmeister found the use of AI and the platform he did not consent to extremely concerning. While the MEAA confirms it is assisting Neighbours cast members, there is no comment from Robbie's agent as of yet.",
  "summary": "Robbie’s storylines in the famous soap will be recut into vertical micro-episodes to be watched on phones – but her fellow cast members say they haven’t been consulted The long-running Australian soap opera Neighbours is being recut with AI into a microdrama designed to be watched on phones, sparking a debate among the show’s actors and the industry over the wider implications of television…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}