Hollywood
Bill Condon and Ian McKellen reunite for a new Sherlock flick
MUMBAI: The acclaimed director is all set to recreate a new Sherlock Holmes movie in which McKellen will play a retired Holmes. The movie titled A Slight Trick of the Mind is based on a novel by Mitch Cullin and the screenplay is adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher.
Condon and McKellen were previously seen together in Gods and Monsters. The finance is done by Icon UK’s production department called AI and BBC is co-financing. AI is also co-producing. The shooting is set to begin sometime next April in UK.
Anne Carey is producing via Archer Gray Productions. King’s Speech producers Iain Canning and Emile Sherman of See-Saw Films, Icon/AI Film’s Aviv Giladi, and Len Blavatnik, whose Access Industries owns the Icon UK group, are exec producing as is BBC Films’ Christine Langan.
International sales are being handled by FilmNation. Condon is repped by WME, Anonymous Content, Wayne Alexander and Robert Nau. McKellen is repped by Chris Andrews at CAA and Paul Lyon-Maris at Independent Talent Group.
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.
