Hollywood
Steve Jobs doc released following ‘Jobs’ this month
MUMBAI: With Jobs starring Ashton Kutcher released in cinema’s this month, there has been a surge of interest in Steve Jobs’ life as people seek to understand what made one of the most revered creative entrepreneurs of the 20th century tick.
Having experienced success with their recent release William and Kate: A Royal Arrival, Electric Sky has acquired another Future Sight Entertainments doc, Steve Jobs: His Story. The doc will include insight from the people who knew him best; his close friends, family and colleagues at Apple and Pixar.
Electric Sky already have early interest having released a promo screener last week and the doc includes contributions from Apple and Pixar heavyweights; John Lasseter, Tim Allen, Tim Cook, John Sculley and Steve Wozniak. Further big names to share their thoughts about Jobs include Ashton Kutcher, Owen Wilson, Bill Gates and Tom Hanks.
Steve Jobs: His Story, will be available to deliver very soon to coincide with the continued international release of the movie later this year.
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.
