Hollywood
‘Pulp Fiction’ anniversary at Cannes, ‘Django’ television series planned
MUMBAI: To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the cult classic, maverick director Quentin Tarantino along with the stars of Pulp Fiction, John Travolta and Uma Thurman, treated the masses to a public screening of the cult classic on the beach at Cannes. Standing on a makeshift stage in front of a giant screen, Tarantino welcomed his two actors, who, one by one, walked down a sandy aisle before flanking their Pulp Fiction director.
Pulp Fiction was the winner of the 1994 Palme d’Or (Golden Palm) from a jury presided over by Clint Eastwood; Pulp Fiction had its official world premiere at the Grand Theatre Lumiere on 19 May that year. However, although the film had been kept tightly under wraps and was screened for no one in the United States before its Cannes debut, a number of critics did get a secret sneak peek at it the night before.
Prior to the screening, the cast and crew of Pulp Fiction were spot walking on the official red carpet at the Palais De Cannes and then attended a party hosted by Miramax Pictures.
The Oscar-winning director told the audience at the Cannes Film Festival on Friday that he’s looking at a four-hour miniseries version of his acclaimed 2012 pre-Civil War Western Django Unchained.
“I have about 90 minutes’ worth of material with Django [that] hasn’t been seen,” said Tarantino to USA Today. “My idea, frankly, is to cut together a four-hour version of Django Unchained… But I wouldn’t show it like a four-hour movie. I would cut it up into hour chapters. Like a four-part miniseries. And show it on cable television. Show it like an hour at a time, each chapter.”
“We’d use all the material I have and it wouldn’t be an endurance test,” he added. “It would be a miniseries. And people love those.”
Django earned a total of five Academy Award nominations, including for Best Picture. It grabbed the golden statuette for Original Screenplay and Supporting Actor Christopher Waltz.
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.
