Hollywood
American supernatural thriller Voices from the Stone acquired by 13 Films
NEW DELHI: The supernatural thriller Voice from the Stone starring Emilia Clarke which is being produced by Dean Zanuck (Road To Perdition, Get Low fame) and Stefano Gallini-Durante (White Shadow, En La Caliente) and will be directed by Eric D. Howell has been acquired by leading international sales and finance company 13 Films.
13 Films president Tannaz Anisi announced this at the ongoing American Film Market. However, the film’s producers will retain rights for the United States.
Veteran sales agent Anisi will also be the executive producer of the project which is set to start principal photography in November in Italy.
Marton Csokas has also joined the cast alongside Clarke.
“I was immediately drawn to the unique and haunting script of Voice from the Stone and
am thrilled to be partnering with established producers Dean Zanuck and Stefani Gallini-Durante on the project. The beautiful and talented Emilia Clarke is the perfect actress to bring life and freshness to the role of Verena,” said Anisi.
Written by Andrew Shaw and based on the Italian novel La Voce Della Pietra by Silvio Raffo, Voice from the Stone marks Eric D. Howell’s feature film directorial debut.
Voice from the Stone is the haunting story of Verena (Clarke), a solemn nurse drawn to aid a young boy named Jakob who has fallen silent since the untimely death of his mother nearly a year ago. Living with his father (Csokas) in a massive stone manor in Tuscany, Jakob not only refuses to speak, he seems to be under the spell of a malevolent force trapped within the stone walls. As Verena’s relationship with the father and son grow, she becomes ensnared and consumed by Malvina’s severe force. If she is to save the boy, and free herself, she must face the phantom hidden inside the stone.
13 Films’ full slate at AFM also includes the romantic comedy Take Care starring Leslie Bibb and Thomas Sadoski, which made its market premiere yesterday and will be released theatrically in the US by Phase 4 Films on 5 December, crime thriller Manhattan Nocturne starring Oscar winner Adrien Brody, Yvonne Strahovski and Campbell Scott set to start shooting in December and Very Good Girls with Dakota Fanning, Elizabeth Olsen, Peter Sarsgaard and Demi Moore, which was released earlier this year by Tribeca Films.
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.
