English Entertainment
Disney’s planes takes off in India
Mumbai, August 5, 2013: Disney Consumer Products (DCP) India brings all the characters from its high flying film Disney’s Planes to stores across India. The skies are the limit with this exclusive assortment of toys, fashion, home décor, lifestyle and publishing products, rounds out the collection for fans of this new comedy-adventure from above the world of Cars. The range will feature Disney’s Planes stars — Dusty, Ishani, Skipper, Ripslinger and El Chupacabra.
Set to release in theaters on August 23, 2013, Disney’s Planes takes off with an international cast of the fastest air racers around, in a comedy packed with action and adventure starring Dusty (voice of Dane Cook), Ishani (voice of Priyanka Chopra), Skipper (voice of Stacy Keach) and El Chupacabra (voice of Carlos Alazraqui).
“Disney Consumer Products’ Planes collection is a fun filled range that will bring hours of fun to kids,” said Roshini Bakshi, managing director, Licensing and Retail, Disney UTV. “Only Disney offers our audiences a fully integrated entertainment experience. Cars’ is one of the popular franchises amongst kids and families in India and with the addition of Planes to ‘The World of Cars’, we are confident of bringing home some more magic through the exciting new Planes range”, she added.
Available across all the leading stores in India, the planes merchandise is priced between INR 45 to INR 6999.
Disney’s Planes Product Collection:
Toys for little pilots:
Disney’s Planes Character Diecast Singles Assortment by Mattel (MRP 599): Showcasing a wide variety of characters in authentic styling, these 1:55 scale diecast planes are perfect for re-creating scenes from the movies. The planes feature rolling wheels and spinning propellers as well as a universal connector that works with all play sets.
Planes Sky Track Challenge by Mattel (MRP 1,999): This giant track set has two, five feet air tracks, mountain tunnel and a winner’s circle. Clip diecast planes on to the track with their universal connectors and launch for side-by-side racing and barrel roll stunts. One plane is included in the pack.
Planes Personality Assortment by Mattel (MRP 1,799): Dusty, Skipper and El Chupacabra from the Disney Toons Studios Planes video capture the personality of the characters that inspired them with sounds and action. Easy mechanisms activate the audio and simple movements, like a spinning propeller and firing projectiles. Characters repeat more than 15 phrases and sounds kids will recognize from the movie. Each sold separately, subject to availability. “Try me” packaging.
Planes Runway Flyers Assortment by Mattel (MRP 1,499): All kids’ favorite characters from the Disney Toons Studios Planes video are flying in – and back out! These foam planes, featuring five favorite characters, snap into the runway launcher. When the trigger is pulled, the plane is released and soars into the air. Able to fly 20 feet, these vehicles really take flight! Each piece sold separately.
U-Command Super Charged Dusty by Thinkway (MRP 6,999): Deluxe infrared remote control Super Charged Dusty comes to life with animation, voice and sound effects. Kids can control Dusty with joysticks or by pressing one of the 10 program buttons on the wireless remote to make him talk, move and turn in more than 1,000 action combinations.
Dusty Bubbles Glider Real Flying by Thinkway (MRP 1,699): Dusty Bubble Plane comes with Bubble attachment on wings. Launch Dusty in the air and bubbles come out. Propeller spins as Dusty glides through the sky. The package includes Bubble Solution and Dipping Trays.
Remote Controlled Driving Planes Assortment by Simba (MRP 4,499): R/C Driving Planes can be driven around by kids with a fully functional remote controlled and a 1:24 scaled plane. Comes in multiple characters including Dusty and El Chupacabra.
Scooter by My Baby Excel (MRP 1399): Kids can also enjoy their play time with Disney’s Planes scooter specially designed for kids aged 3 yrs and above. The height of the scooter can be adjusted for better operations and it can take weight up to 20 kgs.
Disney Plush by My Baby Excel (MRP 699): Kids can now cuddle up to their favourite Planes character with 10 inch Plush figures of Dusty and Skipper. Made of soft felt, they are perfect for introduction of younger kids to the world of Planes.
Aviation Fashion & Lifestyle Gear:
Fashion from Cherish Knits, Iris Knits and Dhananjai (MRP 199 onwards): The new fashionable apparel range for boys aged 4 to 14 years comprises of round neck short sleeves t-shirts and sweatshirts perfect for young Disney’s Planes fans that want to grow up to be aviators.
Disney’s Planes bedding line by D’decor (MRP 1495 onwards): This comforter features the one and only Dusty. The comforter will add aviation flair to any room. Disney sheet sets and blankets are sold separately.
Flight School Reading:
Story books and activity books by Parragon (MRP 45 onwards): Kids can now relive the magical story of Disney’s Planes through the extensive range of story books, CD’s, coloring books by Paragon and activity set boxes including puzzles and other board games by Euro.
Aviation School gear:
Back to school range by H.M. International (MRP 59 onwards): Kids and families can add loads of fun and frolic to the new school year with the fantastic range of Disney’s Planes lunch boxes, water bottles, stationery and much more. The trendy back to school Planes collection features an array of bright and stylish yet durable and essential merchandise for children aged 4 to 14 years.
So fasten your seatbelts and get ready for the adventure!
English Entertainment
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approve Paramount deal
Investors wave through a $111 billion megamerger but deliver a stinging, if toothless, rebuke over half-a-billion-dollar goodbye packages
NEW YORK: The shareholders said yes to the deal. They said no to the cheque. At a virtual special meeting on Thursday that lasted barely ten minutes, Warner Bros. Discovery investors voted overwhelmingly to approve Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion acquisition of the company — and then turned around and voted against the lavish exit pay packages lined up for chief executive David Zaslav and his fellow outgoing executives.
Not that it will make much difference. The compensation vote is purely advisory and non-binding. The Warner Bros. Discovery board can, and almost certainly will, pay out as planned.
But the symbolism stings. It is the second consecutive year that WBD shareholders have voted against the executive compensation packages, and this time they had good reason. Zaslav’s exit deal is, by any measure, extraordinary. Under the terms filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, he is set to receive $34.2 million in cash severance, $517.2 million in equity in the combined company, and $44,195 in continued health coverage — a total of at least $550 million. On top of that, Warner Bros. Discovery has agreed to reimburse Zaslav up to $335 million for taxes assessed by the Internal Revenue Service on his accelerated stock vesting, though the company says that figure will decline depending on when the deal closes. As of March 11, Zaslav also held $115.85 million in vested WBD stock awards — and last month sold a further $114 million worth of WBD shares.
Shareholder advisory firm ISS recommended voting against the compensation measure, citing “problematic” tax reimbursements to Zaslav and the full vesting of his stock awards.
Zaslav will be bound by a two-year non-competition covenant and a two-year non-solicitation of customers and employees after the deal closes.
His lieutenants are not walking away empty-handed either. J.B. Perrette, chief executive and president of global streaming and games, is in line for $142 million, comprising $18.2 million in cash severance and $123.9 million in equity. Bruce Campbell, chief revenue and strategy officer, will receive an estimated $121.5 million, including $18.8 million in severance and $102.7 million in equity. Chief financial officer Gunnar Wiedenfels is set for $120 million, made up of $6.6 million in cash severance and $113.1 million in equity. Gerhard Zeiler, president of international, will get $82.6 million, including $11.9 million in severance and $70.7 million in equity.
The deal itself, clinched in February after Netflix declined to raise its bid for Warner Bros., still needs regulatory clearance from the Justice Department and European authorities. Several state attorneys general are also weighing legal action to block it.
Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, was unsparing. “The Paramount-Warner Bros. merger isn’t a done deal,” she said after the shareholder vote. “State attorneys general across the country are stepping up to stop this antitrust disaster. We need to keep up this fight.”
If it does go through, the combined entity would be a formidable beast, bringing together Paramount Skydance’s stable — CBS, CBS News, Paramount Pictures, Paramount+, BET, MTV and Nickelodeon — with WBD’s portfolio of HBO, Max, Warner Bros. film and TV studios, DC, CNN, TBS, TNT, HGTV and Discovery+. Paramount has said it expects $6 billion in cost savings from the merger, which is Wall Street shorthand for mass layoffs on a significant scale.
The ten-minute meeting was presided over by chairman Samuel Di Piazza Jr., with Zaslav, Campbell, Wiedenfels and chief communications officer Robert Gibbs in virtual attendance. Di Piazza was bullish. “We appreciate the support and confidence our stockholders have placed in us to unlock the full value of our world-class entertainment portfolio,” he said. “With Paramount, we look forward to creating an exceptional combined company that will expand consumer choice and benefit the global creative talent community.”
Zaslav echoed the sentiment. “Over the past four years, our teams have transformed Warner Bros. Discovery and returned the company to industry leadership,” he said. “Today’s stockholder approval is another key milestone toward completing this historic transaction that will deliver exceptional value to our stockholders.”
Paramount Skydance struck a similar note. “Shareholder approval marks another important milestone towards completing our acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery,” it said in a statement, adding that it looked forward to “closing the transaction in the coming months.”
The shareholders have spoken on the merger. On the pay, they were ignored before the vote was even counted.
