Hollywood
‘Fast and Furious 7’ retitled
MUMBAI: All set to launch the new edition of the famous Fast and Furious series, Universal Studios announced the latest installment will be renamed to Furious 7 and that the first trailer of the movie will be premiered on 1 November.
The trailer launch will be a part of ‘The Road to Furious 7: Trailer Launch Event at Universal Studios’ which will be held in Los Angeles. The event will also be live streamed exclusively on the Fast & Furious official Facebook page and E! Network.
Fans can also attend the event by purchasing ticket available on 27 October on the official Fast and Furious social pages.
The new synopsis posted reads, “Continuing the global exploits in the unstoppable franchise built on speed, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson lead the returning cast of ‘Furious 7.’ James Wan directs this chapter of the hugely successful series that also welcomes back favorites Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges, Elsa Pataky and Lucas Black.”
“They are joined by international action stars new to the franchise including Jason Statham, Djimon Hounsou, Tony Jaa, Ronda Rousey and Kurt Russell. Neal H Moritz, Vin Diesel and Michael Fottrell return to produce the film written by Chris Morgan.”
The movie will hit US theaters on 3 April 2015, after being pushed back a year due to Paul Walker’s untimely death. Also it is rumoured that Paul’s character will be retired rather than killed in the film. His final scenes have been created using his brothers Caleb and Cody as stand-ins and with the help of body double’s to recreate his voice and face.
Meanwhile, the pic’s official YouTube page posted two new videos. One titled ‘The Road to Furious 7’ contains footage from the franchise’s previous films while the other one titled ‘7 Seconds of 7’ is a short behind-the-scene video featuring the cast.
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.
