Hollywood
Cinépolis gives popcorn power-up with Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
MUMBAI: It is getting challenging to fill cinema halls as has been evident from the limited number of films racing up the box office charts. Now, Cinépolis India has taken an interesting tack to get cinema lovers back into theatres: it is offering mouth-watering tub of popcorn to those who pick up tickets of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. As Ethan Hunt gears up for his swan song, early bird ticket-buyers are getting a blockbuster snack bonus.
From 21 to 28 May, the first 80,000 customers who book tickets via the Cinépolis app or website will bag a free refill coupon for a Jumbo Popcorn tub—valid for all language versions of the film. That’s one mission that’s definitely not impossible.
It’s the first time Cinépolis is bundling food and film in a single digital move, marking a shift towards experience-led cinema in India’s increasingly competitive multiplex landscape.
And there’s more where that came from. The popcorn perk is part of a larger buffet of F&B promotions rolling out at Cinépolis, including:
* Special Menu Tuesdays: Curated bites starting at just Rs 99
* Buy-one-get-one cream & onion popcorn: Double the crunch, same cost
* Coca-Cola Birthday Special: Grab a Coke for Rs 139 with a food bill of Rs 139, celebrating the brand’s 139th year
* Free popcorn refills: With select bookings on Cinépolis digital platforms
The campaign is a crunchy step in Cinépolis’ broader mission: merging blockbuster cinema with curated culinary joy. With Hollywood’s hottest spy lighting up screens and snacks getting star billing, this summer, the plot just got tastier.
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.
