Hollywood
Steven Spielberg’s ‘Ready Player One’ to release in December 2017
MUMBAI: The game is on in 2017. Warner Bros. Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures’ Ready Player One – the sci-fi action adventure to be directed by Steven Spielberg – has been slated for release on 15 December, 2017.
A three-time Academy Award winner, Spielberg is directing Ready Player One, based on Ernest Cline’s bestseller of the same name, which has become a worldwide phenomenon. The film is being produced by Spielberg; Donald De Line, under his De Line Pictures banner; Dan Farah; and Spielberg’s longtime colleague Kristie Macosko Krieger; with Bruce Berman serving as executive producer. De Line and Farah originally brought the project to Warner Bros.
Ready Player One marks a return to Warner Bros. for Spielberg, who previously directed the studio’s Empire of the Sun, The Color Purple and A.I. Artificial Intelligence, in addition to producing the hits Gremlins and The Goonies.
Warner Bros president, domestic distribution Dan Fellman said, “Any film from Steven Spielberg is an event film, so it felt right to date this thrilling new project from one of our greatest filmmakers for the holiday season.”
Warner Bros president, worldwide marketing and distribution Sue Kroll added, “From the success of the book, Ready Player One already has a devoted following, and we’re excited for its fans and moviegoers everywhere to see this fantastically innovative story come to life. We know it couldn’t be in better hands, and look forward to working with Steven and the producers to bring it to the big screen.”
Warner Bros. Pictures president, worldwide distribution Veronika Kwan Vandenberg said, “There are few directors with the global stature of Steven Spielberg, so we are thrilled to be delivering his latest adventure to audiences worldwide.”
Hollywood
David Zaslav could net up to $887m as Warner Bros Discovery sells up
Media mogul strikes gold as Paramount Skydance deal triggers massive windfall
NEW YORK: While the average office worker might hope for a nice clock and a round of applause upon leaving, David Zaslav is looking at a slightly more substantial parting gift. The chief executive officer of Warner Bros Discovery is positioned to receive a windfall of up to $887 million following the company’s blockbuster $110 billion sale to Paramount Skydance.
In a twist of corporate fate that feels scripted for the big screen, the deal marks the finale of a high-stakes bidding war. It comes after Netflix, once the frontrunner, decided to exit stage left and abandon its pursuit of the HBO Max parent company.
While most people receive a standard final paycheck, the filing released on Monday suggests Zaslav’s exit package is built a little differently. If the deal closes as expected in the third quarter of 2026, the numbers break down like this:
The cash out: A severance package of $34.2 million, covering his salary and bonuses.
The equity: $115.8 million in vested shares he already owns.
The future fortune: A massive $517.2 million in unvested share awards, essentially “future stock” that turns into real money the moment the ink dries on the merger.
Perhaps the most eye-catching figure is the $335 million earmarked for tax reimbursements. However, this particular pot of gold has an expiration date.
The company noted that these reimbursements are tied to specific tax-code rules that significantly decline as time passes. If the deal hits a snag and drags into 2027, that tax payout drops to zero. With hundreds of millions on the line, the chief executive officer likely has every incentive to ensure the closing process moves at double-speed.
