Hollywood
Game of Thrones actress cast in Hunger Games final films
MUMBAI: Gwendoline Christie, best known for her role as the tough warrior Brienne of Tarth on Game of Thrones, has been roped in to play another military leader role.
The actress, best known for her towering height, will play Commander Lyme in the final two installments of The Hunger Games film series; The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Parts 1 & 2. She’s replacing Lily Rabe, who was originally cast in the role.
Rabe had to drop out due to a scheduling conflict with a previous commitment to Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare in the Park. The fourth film in the hit teen franchise is currently filming back-to-back with Mockingjay – Part 1.
Lyme is one of the leaders of District 13, the district in the futuristic Panem that is rebelling against the government. She hails from District 2 and is a past victor of an unknown Hunger Games.
Mockingjay – Part 1, the third of four films based on Suzanne Collins’ popular teen novels, will hit US theaters in November this year. Mockingjay – Part 2 will follow one year later again in November.
Along with starring on the fantasy hit series Game of Thrones, Christie’s was last seen in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.
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.
