Hollywood
BBC Films, Shine Pictures acquire film rights to ‘The Farm’
MUMBAI: BBC Films and Shine Pictures, the film division of Elisabeth Murdoch’s Shine Group, have bought the rights to psychological thriller The Farm, the latest novel penned by Tom Rob Smith.
Smith’s latest book is set in London and Sweden and tells the tale of a boy who believes his parents are living a peaceful life on a farm in rural Sweden. He gets a call from his father telling him his mother has escaped from a mental hospital shortly after being committed. Then his mother calls and asks him to allow her to give her side of the story.
It will be produced by Shine’s head of film, Ollie Madden, with Christine Langan exec producing for BBC Films.
Smith’s Child 44 trilogy has sold more than four million copies worldwide, the first of which has been made as a film directed by Daniel Espinosa starring Tom Hardy and Noomi Rapace. It is due for release this year.
Smith also created the five-part BBC-backed miniseries London Spy, which will air in 2015.
Shine Pictures and the public broadcaster’s movie division previously worked together on Salmon Fishing In the Yemen.
Hollywood
David Zaslav could net up to $887m as Warner Bros Discovery sells up
Media mogul strikes gold as Paramount Skydance deal triggers massive windfall
NEW YORK: While the average office worker might hope for a nice clock and a round of applause upon leaving, David Zaslav is looking at a slightly more substantial parting gift. The chief executive officer of Warner Bros Discovery is positioned to receive a windfall of up to $887 million following the company’s blockbuster $110 billion sale to Paramount Skydance.
In a twist of corporate fate that feels scripted for the big screen, the deal marks the finale of a high-stakes bidding war. It comes after Netflix, once the frontrunner, decided to exit stage left and abandon its pursuit of the HBO Max parent company.
While most people receive a standard final paycheck, the filing released on Monday suggests Zaslav’s exit package is built a little differently. If the deal closes as expected in the third quarter of 2026, the numbers break down like this:
The cash out: A severance package of $34.2 million, covering his salary and bonuses.
The equity: $115.8 million in vested shares he already owns.
The future fortune: A massive $517.2 million in unvested share awards, essentially “future stock” that turns into real money the moment the ink dries on the merger.
Perhaps the most eye-catching figure is the $335 million earmarked for tax reimbursements. However, this particular pot of gold has an expiration date.
The company noted that these reimbursements are tied to specific tax-code rules that significantly decline as time passes. If the deal hits a snag and drags into 2027, that tax payout drops to zero. With hundreds of millions on the line, the chief executive officer likely has every incentive to ensure the closing process moves at double-speed.
