Hollywood
Dwayne Johnson’s ‘Hercules’ movie trailer released
MUMBAI: MGM and Paramount have come together to re-envision the classic Greek tale of the legend of Hercules starring Dwayne Johnson (The Scorpion King, Fast & Furious) as the legendary hero, adapted from Steve Moore’s graphic novel.
The film boasts a stellar cast that includes Golden Globe Award winner Ian McShane (Deadwood, The Pillars of the Earth), BAFTA Award nominee Rufus Sewell (Eleventh Hour), BAFTA Award winner Joseph Fiennes (American Horror Story: Asylum), Emmy Award nominee Peter Mullan (Top of the Lake) and Golden Globe Award winner John Hurt (Midnight Express) and is directed by Brett Rattner (Rush Hour series).
Ratner’s film follows the story of the warrior who, in the wake of his legendary twelve labours, becomes a mercenary. When the King of Thrace and his daughter seek him out for help to defeat a tyrannical warlord, his life is tested in a way it never has been before. Based on the graphic novel series Hercules: The Thracian Wars by Steven Moore and Admira Wijaya.
The Rock took to Instagram to talk about the grueling preparations he undertook to get into the titular role for Hercules, which hits the big screen this summer.
“I trained and worked harder than ever for eight months for this role. Lived alone and locked myself away (like a moody 260-lb. monk) in Budapest for six months while filming.” He said on his Instagram page, “Goal was to completely transform into this character. Disappear in the role. Press journalist asked me today, with the mental & physical toll the role had on me, would I do it again? Not only would I do it again… I’d do it twice!”
Hollywood
Paramount Skydance secures financing for Warner Bros Discovery deal
Debt syndication and new loans push $111 billion merger closer to close
WASHINGTON: Paramount Skydance has taken a major step towards its planned acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, securing fresh financing and completing the syndication of its bridge loan facility.
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company confirmed that the bridge facility has now been distributed among a group of 18 banks, reducing total commitments to $49 billion from an earlier $54 billion. The move spreads risk across lenders and signals growing confidence in one of the year’s largest media deals.
Alongside this, the company has finalised permanent financing arrangements, including $5 billion in senior term loans and a $5 billion revolving credit facility. A previously planned $3.5 billion credit line has been dropped as part of the restructuring.
The loans are secured against key assets, including Paramount Global, Skydance Media and Warner Bros post-merger, underlining the scale and complexity of the transaction.
The financing push follows a competitive bidding process earlier this year, which saw interest from players such as Netflix before Paramount Skydance emerged as the frontrunner. The deal, valued at $111 billion, is expected to close in the third quarter, subject to regulatory approvals.
Adding to the momentum, the company has also secured significant equity backing, including investments from Middle Eastern funds, with support from billionaire Larry Ellison, who has guaranteed the equity portion of the transaction.
Commenting on the development, Paramount Skydance chief strategy officer Andy Gordon said, “Our successful debt syndication and new debt facilities represent another important milestone towards the completion of our acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery.”
Once completed, the combined entity is expected to carry net debt of just under $80 billion, reflecting the sheer scale of the merger.
As Hollywood continues to consolidate in the streaming era, this deal could reshape the competitive landscape, with Paramount Skydance betting big on scale, content and financial muscle to take on global rivals.
