European Broadcasting Union (EBU) officials have confirmed that the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest live tour will not take place as scheduled, citing unforeseen circumstances.

The tour, which was announced last month, had been slated to visit 10 European countries this summer, with its first stop at London's O2 Arena on June 15.

In a statement released on Friday, Martin Green, director of the Eurovision Song Contest, explained that the decision to postpone the tour was made due to unexpected challenges that could not be overcome despite the best efforts of the team.

Green expressed regret over the postponement, stating that the difficult decision was necessary due to unforeseen circumstances.

According to Green, the team had faced unexpected obstacles that could not be resolved, despite the collaborative efforts of the producers, promoters, and EBU staff.

Green assured fans who had purchased tickets that they would receive a full refund as soon as possible, thanking them for their support.

The Eurovision Song Contest live tour, initially planned as part of the contest's 70th-anniversary celebrations, will be relaunched at a later date, with the goal of delivering a world-class experience for fans.

Green emphasized that the primary focus remains on hosting a successful Eurovision Song Contest in May.

The now-postponed tour was set to feature some of the most iconic performers in the contest's history, as announced by the EBU in January.

Notable acts scheduled to appear included Johnny Logan, Katrina, Lordi, and Verka Serduchka.

The tour was also expected to include performances by 10 of this year's Eurovision entrants, as previously confirmed by the EBU.

The Eurovision Song Contest faced disruption in December when Iceland joined several other countries, including Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, and the Netherlands, in boycotting the 2026 competition.

The boycott was sparked by controversy surrounding Israel's participation, as well as allegations of unfair voting practices.

In response, the EBU announced plans to reform the voting rules to minimize government influence on the results.

A majority of EBU members voted in favor of the reforms, which would allow Israel to participate in the contest.

In London, James Carson's career began with a humble role delivering packages for an animation company, little knowing that his future held a path to creating graphics for major films.

At the time, Carson could not have foreseen the opportunity to work on high-profile movies, a prospect that would eventually become a reality.

His portfolio now boasts an impressive array of titles, including Mulan, Spider-man: Into the Spiderverse, Alice Through the Looking Glass, and most recently, the Golden Globe-winning film KPop Demon Hunters, a global phenomenon.

Carson, who hails from Belfast, is now focused on inspiring the next generation of animators to pursue their passion and succeed in the industry.

When Carson first entered the job market, he recalled that options were limited, with only a handful of potential employers to consider.

However, with the emergence of new companies and advancements in artificial intelligence, the landscape has changed dramatically, offering a wider range of opportunities for those interested in the arts.

After securing an entry-level position as a runner at an animation firm, Carson worked his way up the ranks, eventually relocating to Canada for new job opportunities.

Currently, Carson holds the position of CG Supervisor at Sony Pictures Imageworks, where he oversees the creation and delivery of 3D computer-generated elements for film and television productions.

His day-to-day work is a balancing act between the creative and the mundane, with a mix of meetings and collaborative work with clients and VFX supervisors.

"The job involves a lot of meetings, but it's also rewarding to work with clients and supervisors to discuss project progress and see the images come to life," Carson explained.

Reflecting on his experience working on surprise hits like KPop Demon Hunters, Carson noted that it's exciting to see a project gain widespread popularity and resonate with audiences.

"Working on a project, you don't always know how it will be received, but when it takes off, it's amazing to see people connect with the characters and storylines you've helped create," he said.

Following the completion of his work on the live-action feature Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling, Carson brought KPop Demon Hunters to his hometown of Belfast for a special screening.

The event was part of the RENDR festival, a two-day celebration of film, gaming, animation, and technology, which featured a behind-the-scenes look at the animation process, a dance class, and a sing-along screening of the animated musical.

The festival provided a unique opportunity for attendees to engage with the creative process and learn from industry professionals like Carson.

Addressing a crowd of over 200 people in Belfast, Carson encouraged young attendees to pursue their passion for the creative industries, emphasizing that with dedication, they could turn their interests into a career.

"If you enjoy this type of content, consider studying and exploring opportunities in the field – you never know where it might lead," he advised.

"Maybe one day you'll have the chance to work on a project like KPop Demon Hunters or even a potential sequel," he added.

Eight-year-old Phoebe, a self-proclaimed superfan of KPop Demon Hunters, attended the event dressed as her favorite character, Rumi, and shared her enthusiasm for the film.

Phoebe revealed that she watches the movie almost daily and loves it more with each viewing.

When asked about her future aspirations, Phoebe expressed a desire to become either an animator or a demon hunter, inspired by the film's themes and characters.

The KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack has been a staple in the household of Louisa, Alice, and their mother, Laura, since the film's release in 2025, with the girls even dyeing their hair to show their dedication.

According to Laura, the film has not only provided entertainment but also helped her children develop confidence and a love for dancing.

With the RENDR festival now in its third year, event director Michael Weir reported an attendance of around 3,000 people, with visitors coming from across Ireland and beyond.

Weir believes that Northern Ireland is experiencing a "golden age for production," with a surge in film and television projects, including the new Game of Thrones spin-off.

"The success of productions like Derry Girls and the upcoming Game of Thrones spin-off demonstrates the region's potential and excitement building in the industry," he said.

The recent opening of Studio Ulster, Northern Ireland's largest film and TV virtual production studio, has provided a significant boost to the region's production capabilities.

Weir sees the studio as a valuable resource, noting that "the infrastructure is in place, and we're ready to capitalize on the opportunities available."

Studio Ulster offers cutting-edge virtual production services, including computer-generated imagery, further enhancing the region's appeal to film and television producers.

The studio's capabilities are expected to attract a wide range of projects, from film and television productions to commercials and video games.

Weir views the studio's opening as a significant development, one that will help drive growth and opportunity in the region's creative industries.

"With the infrastructure in place, we're poised to take advantage of the exciting opportunities emerging in the industry," he said.

KPop Demon Hunters, produced by Sony Pictures Animation, follows the adventures of the fictional K-pop girl band Huntr/x as they battle demons threatening the human world.

The story takes a dramatic turn when a group of demons disguises themselves as a boy band, known as the Saja Boys, and enters the human world.

As the narrative unfolds, the lines between humans and demons become blurred, revealing complex characters with hidden pasts and identities.

The film seamlessly blends action, music, and storytelling, exploring themes of friendship, trust, and self-discovery.

Upon its release in 2025, KPop Demon Hunters became a cultural phenomenon, surpassing Squid Game as the most-watched title in Netflix history.

The film's soundtrack achieved unprecedented success, topping the US singles and albums charts, with four songs simultaneously ranking in the US top 10 – a first for any soundtrack in history.

Social media platforms have been inundated with clips generated using Seedance 2.0, a cutting-edge AI video tool. These clips feature reimagined scenes, such as Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt engaging in a rooftop brawl, or characters from Friends depicted as otters, showcasing the tool's capabilities.

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has introduced Seedance, touting it as a means to deliver "an ultra-realistic immersive experience" to users.

The emergence of Seedance has sparked concerns in the entertainment industry, with Rhett Reese, writer of the Deadpool series, expressing his unease, stating that the rise of this technology may signal the end of traditional creative roles.

Many of the clips created using Seedance are based on copyrighted materials, including films and TV shows featuring well-known actors. As a result, major US studios have demanded that the platform immediately stop infringing on their intellectual property rights.

Seedance allows users to generate highly realistic clips from simple text prompts, and users have been creating scenes inspired by popular franchises such as The Lord of the Rings, Seinfeld, and Avengers.

Charles Rivkin, chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association, stated that Seedance 2.0 has engaged in widespread unauthorized use of US copyrighted works in a short span, highlighting the need for the platform to respect intellectual property laws.

According to Rivkin, by launching a service without adequate safeguards against infringement, ByteDance is disregarding established copyright laws that protect creators' rights and support millions of American jobs.

The MPA has called on ByteDance to cease its infringing activities immediately, emphasizing the need to respect intellectual property rights.

The Motion Picture Association represents prominent US studios, including Netflix, Paramount Pictures, and Warner Bros Discovery, among others.

TikTok has acknowledged that some videos created using its pre-launch model have been shared, and the company claims to respect intellectual property rights and take potential infringement seriously.

In response to concerns, the company has suspended the ability for users to upload images of real individuals and is working to implement robust policies and monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance with local regulations.

A review by Forbes noted that Seedance 2.0 offers users a level of creative control similar to that of a human director, enabling them to produce high-quality content without requiring complex production tools.

While many users are excited about the creative possibilities offered by Seedance, Rhett Reese has expressed his concern about the implications of this technology on the entertainment industry.

Reese stated that he is worried about the potential loss of careers for many people in the industry, including his own, as a result of the rise of AI-generated content.

Reese clarified that his initial statement about the impact of Seedance was not meant to be flippant, but rather a genuine expression of his fear about the potential consequences of this technology on the entertainment industry.

Reese believes that the emergence of Seedance could revolutionize the entertainment industry, but also potentially lead to significant job losses, and he is concerned about the impact on his own career and those of his colleagues.

Heather Anne Campbell, a writer for Saturday Night Live and Rick & Morty, has noted that the content generated using Seedance is often similar to fan fiction, and that original ideas are still essential for creating engaging content.

Campbell observed that many users of AI visualization engines like Seedance are using them to create content based on existing franchises, rather than coming up with entirely new ideas.

Campbell suggested that having access to advanced AI tools like Seedance does not necessarily make it easier to create original content, as the hardest part of the creative process is often coming up with new and innovative ideas.