Hollywood
Director Hayao Miyazaki set to retire
MUMBAI: Oscar-winning director Hayao Miyazaki’s animation studio says The Wind Rises, in competition at the Venice Film Festival, will be his last feature.
Koju Hoshino announced Miyazaki’s intention to retire Sunday, but declined to take questions, deferring to a news conference next week in Tokyo.
Miyazaki was not in Venice for the international premiere. His Italian distributor said he stayed in Japan for the domestic release.
Miyazaki, 72, is one of animation’s most admired and successful directors. He won an Oscar for Spirited Away in 2003 and a Golden Lion for lifetime achievement in 2005.
The Wind Rises, Miyazaki’s 11th feature film, is a fantasy-filled look at the man who designed Japan’s World War II fighter planes.
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.
