Hollywood
Akira Kurosawa’s films to screen at 72nd Venice International Film Fest
NEW DELHI: Restored films of famed Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa and Hou Hsiao-hsien will be screened in the Classics section of the Venice International Film Festival in September.
The 72nd edition of the Festival, one of the oldest in the world, is being held from 2 – 12 September. The full list of selected films will be announced by director Alberto Barbera next week.
The 21-film Classics programme includes Kurosawa’s Red Beard (1965) presented by Japan’s Toho Co Ltd and Hou Hsiao-hsien’s The Boys from Fengkuei (1983) co-presented by Hou, Cinémath?que Royal de Belgique and the Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project.
Other films in the section includes Sal?, or the 120 Days of Sodom, Yilmaz Güney’s Hope, Jean-Pierre Melville’s Léon Morin, Priest and Federico Fellini’s epoch-making Amarcord.
Everest directed by Baltasar Kormákur for Universal and shot on location in Nepal and the Italian Alps will be opening film. It stars Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, John Hawkes, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Sam Worthington, Keira Knightley, Emily Watson, and Jake Gyllenhaal.
The world premiere of Everest will be screened on 2 September. Inspired by the incredible events surrounding an attempt to reach the summit of the world’s highest mountain, Everest documents the awe-inspiring journey of two different expeditions challenged beyond their limits by one of the fiercest snowstorms ever encountered by mankind. Their mettle tested by the harshest elements found on the planet, the climbers will face nearly impossible obstacles as a lifelong obsession becomes a breathtaking struggle for survival.
Another film that will have its world premiere out-of-competition is Warner Bros. Pictures’ highly anticipated drama Black Mass, directed by Scott Cooper. The film stars Johnny Depp as notorious gangster James “Whitey” Bulger, along with an acclaimed ensemble cast including Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rory Cochrane, Jesse Plemons, Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard, and Kevin Bacon.
Hollywood
Paramount Skydance secures financing for Warner Bros Discovery deal
Debt syndication and new loans push $111 billion merger closer to close
WASHINGTON: Paramount Skydance has taken a major step towards its planned acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, securing fresh financing and completing the syndication of its bridge loan facility.
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company confirmed that the bridge facility has now been distributed among a group of 18 banks, reducing total commitments to $49 billion from an earlier $54 billion. The move spreads risk across lenders and signals growing confidence in one of the year’s largest media deals.
Alongside this, the company has finalised permanent financing arrangements, including $5 billion in senior term loans and a $5 billion revolving credit facility. A previously planned $3.5 billion credit line has been dropped as part of the restructuring.
The loans are secured against key assets, including Paramount Global, Skydance Media and Warner Bros post-merger, underlining the scale and complexity of the transaction.
The financing push follows a competitive bidding process earlier this year, which saw interest from players such as Netflix before Paramount Skydance emerged as the frontrunner. The deal, valued at $111 billion, is expected to close in the third quarter, subject to regulatory approvals.
Adding to the momentum, the company has also secured significant equity backing, including investments from Middle Eastern funds, with support from billionaire Larry Ellison, who has guaranteed the equity portion of the transaction.
Commenting on the development, Paramount Skydance chief strategy officer Andy Gordon said, “Our successful debt syndication and new debt facilities represent another important milestone towards the completion of our acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery.”
Once completed, the combined entity is expected to carry net debt of just under $80 billion, reflecting the sheer scale of the merger.
As Hollywood continues to consolidate in the streaming era, this deal could reshape the competitive landscape, with Paramount Skydance betting big on scale, content and financial muscle to take on global rivals.
