Hollywood
‘American Hustle’ director soon to venture into TV drama
MUMBAI: Having recently won the Golden Globe Award and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards for American Hustle, David O. Hustle, the prolific writer, producer and director is now venturing into television. According to Deadline, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) has given a straight-to-series 13-episode order to a drama project from the American Hustle writer/director and Erin Brockovich writer Susannah Grant. The two are executive producing with Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly. The show, described as “an upstairs/downstairs soap centered on a private country club”, will be co-produced by CBS Studios and ABC Studios. This would be Timberman/Beverly’s fifth on-air series, joining Justified, Elementary, Unforgettable and Masters of Sex.
This marks the first TV series for Russell, with rare back-to-back Best Picture Oscar nominees — American Hustle this year and Silver Linings Playbook last year accompanied by best writing and directing nominations both times. Along with his Golden Globe and SAG wins, Russell is nominated for two Academy Awards including Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. Last year, his film, Silver Linings Playbook earned two Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay; he also picked up a Best Director nomination in 2011 for The Fighter.
Hollywood
WBD sets April 23 vote on $110bn Paramount Skydance merger
Investor approval key step, but regulators loom over mega media deal
NEW YORK: Warner Bros. Discovery has set April 23 as the date for shareholders to vote on its proposed $110 billion merger with Paramount Skydance, marking a crucial step in one of the biggest media deals in recent years.
The all-cash transaction offers WBD shareholders $31 per share, a hefty 147 per cent premium to its unaffected stock price, signalling strong intent to push the deal across the finish line. The company’s board has unanimously backed the merger and is urging investors to vote in favour.
Even if shareholders give the green light, the deal is far from done. Regulators in the United States and Europe are expected to scrutinise the merger closely, weighing concerns around competition and potential price impacts for consumers.
To keep investors on side, WBD has built in a safety net. If the deal is not completed by September 30, shareholders will receive a quarterly “ticking fee” of $0.25 per share until closure.
The proposed merger would significantly reshape the media landscape, combining the assets of Warner Bros. Discovery with those linked to Paramount Global and Skydance Media. It would also cement the growing influence of David Ellison, who has been steering Skydance’s aggressive expansion strategy.
“The WBD Board has been guided by the singular principle of securing a transaction that maximises the value of our iconic assets and delivers as much certainty as possible to our shareholders,” said Warner Bros. Discovery board chair Samuel A. Di Piazza Jr.. “This historic transaction will expand consumer choice and create new opportunities for creative talent.”
Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive officer David Zaslav added that the company is working closely with its counterpart to close the deal and unlock value for stakeholders.
With investor backing likely but regulatory hurdles ahead, the proposed merger is shaping up to be a defining moment for the global entertainment industry, where scale, content and competition are increasingly intertwined.
