Hollywood
Ben Affleck’s ‘Gone Girl’ to release in India on Diwali
NEW DELHI: Gone girl by David Fincher starring Ben Affleck will be released in the India on 23 October after a phenomenal American box office opening and rave reviews by expert critics.
With staggering positive reviews the movie has already got bumper box office numbers in the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) territories with numbers expected to grow even further.
Gone Girl, based on a best-selling novel by Gillian Flynn, earned strong reviews from critics, with an 87 per cent positive rating on review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes.
Affleck stars as a writer who is caught in a media circus when his wife goes missing and the police suspect he is responsible.
It stars Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry, and Carrie Coon. The film had its world premiere on opening night of the 52nd New York Film Festival on 26 September. It had its American theatrical release on 3 October.
The film examines dishonesty in the media, and the economy’s effects on marriage, and appearances.
The film opened the 52nd New York Film Festival, receiving high profile press coverage and early positive reviews.
Flincher is the film-maker behind The Social Network and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
Published in 2012, Flynn’s novel has sold more than six million copies. Earlier this year, she was commissioned by the Hogarth Shakespeare project to rewrite The Bard’s tragedy Hamlet.
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.
