Hollywood
Musicians Union sues Paramount for outsourcing jobs
MUMBAI: The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM) has filed a suit against Paramount Pictures, Inc for recording the score toSame Kind of Different As Me in Slovakia.
“Only weeks after we filed suit against Paramount for offshoring jobs in other films, they did it again. This total disrespect for musicians is shameful. It is nothing more than corporate greed,” said AFM International president Ray Hair.
The complaint, filed earlier this week in Los Angeles, claims Paramount breached its collective bargaining agreement with musicians that required Paramount films produced in the United States or Canada to be scored in the United States or Canada.
Same Kind of Different As Me, directed by Michael Carney and starring Renée Zellweger, Greg Kinnear and Jon Voight, is in post-production and scheduled for release next April. The film, based on the bestselling novel of the same name, was filmed in and around Jackson, Mississippi but was scored in Bratislava, Slovakia last month.
Hair explained that profitable film producers are increasingly offshoring scores simply to drive up profits at the expense of musicians. He pointed to Same Kind of Different As Me as a prime example of this alarming trend, which cheats musicians.
The AFM is seeking breach of contract damages, including wages and benefits that should have been paid to musicians in the US or Canada.
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.
