Hollywood
AK Madhavan’s Assemblage readies maiden animation film ‘Blinky Bill’
MUMBAI: Former Crest Animation top boss AK Madhavan’s entrepreneurial animation studio, Assemblage Entertainment, has completed its first full-length animated feature co-production titled Blinky Bill The Movie, with the CGI being co-produced out of its studio in Mumbai.
Blinky Bill The Movie is an Australian feature film produced by Flying Bark Productions (Australia) in co-production with Assemblage and Telegael Teoranta (Ireland). The movie is slated to release on 17 September, 2015 in Australia with the international release to follow.
Established in 2014, Assemblage is an eclectic young animation studio that has grown from strength to strength and currently employs over 250 people.
Flying Bark Productions managing director Barbara Stephen said, “Blinky Bill is one of Australia’s most iconic characters and his stories have engaged and entertained audiences around the world for many years. We eagerly sought a studio, which would treat one of our national treasures with due respect and the team at Assemblage have done just that. Their team has a long history of quality work and is highly regarded internationally – we trusted their ability and commitment to deliver quality CGI services and we are delighted with the result.”
Assemblage CEO AK Madhavan added, “We’re very excited to announce the completion of the first feature film out of Assemblage. It is a moment of great pride to be able to deliver the entire 90 minutes of the CGI feature out of our facility here in Mumbai, just over a year after our inception. Establishing ourselves as a feature film ready production house and being associated with a timeless classic such as Blinky at the same time is truly rewarding. We continue our efforts to work on some high quality projects with leading studios globally and aspire to build a strong production portfolio.”
First introduced to audiences in the 1930s through a series of children’s books, Blinky Bill is considered an iconic Australian children’s classic. A small koala with a big imagination, Blinky is an adventurer at heart who dreams of leaving the little town of Green Patch and following his explorer father’s footsteps. Blinky embarks on a journey that takes him beyond the boundary of Greenpatch in the wild and dangerous Australian landscape in his quest to find his missing father. Although he previously appeared in several successful TV series and movies, Blinky has been created in CGI for the first time in the upcoming feature film release this September.
Hollywood
Paramount eyes $24bn Gulf support to fund Warner Bros Discovery merger: Reports
Sovereign funds line up funding as media giants chase streaming scale
NEW YORK: Paramount Skydance is in talks to secure nearly $24 billion in equity commitments from Gulf sovereign wealth funds to support its planned takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, according to a WSJ report.
The funding push comes as Paramount Skydance advances its proposed $110 billion deal for Warner Bros. Discovery, which carries an equity valuation of $81 billion and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
At the heart of the financing plan are three major Gulf investors. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is expected to contribute roughly $10 billion, while the Qatar Investment Authority and Abu Dhabi-based L’imad Holding are likely to make up the remainder.
Crucially, the proposed investments are structured as non-voting stakes. This means the Gulf backers would not have direct control in the combined entity, a move designed to ease regulatory concerns in the United States. Paramount executives reportedly do not expect the deal to trigger scrutiny from bodies such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States or the Federal Communications Commission.
If completed, the merger would bring together a formidable portfolio of entertainment and news assets, including CNN and CBS. The combined entity aims to better compete in a fast-evolving media landscape where streaming platforms are steadily pulling audiences away from traditional television.
The deal reflects a broader shift in global media, where scale is increasingly seen as essential to survive the streaming wars. By pooling content libraries, technology and distribution, Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery are betting on size and synergy to drive future growth.
The involvement of deep-pocketed Gulf investors also underscores the growing role of sovereign wealth in shaping global media consolidation, particularly at a time when high-value deals demand equally large financial backing.
With shareholder votes and regulatory milestones still ahead, the proposed tie-up remains one of the most closely watched media deals of the year. If it clears the final hurdles, it could redraw the competitive map of the global entertainment industry.
