Hollywood
Gerard Butler may star in ‘Point Break’ remake
MUMBAI: Gerard Butler is in negotiations to star in a remake of the Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze action thriller, Point Break directed by Kathryn Bigelow. Released in 1991, the film got a worldwide cult following in DVD and Blu-Ray releases.
According to The Hollywood Reporter (THR), the movie is looking at a summer shoot with Ericson Core, the cinematographer behind 2001’s The Fast & the Furious and Daredevil as the director. For the remake, Kurt Wimmer (Salt, Total Recall) wrote the screenplay which revolves around the international world of extreme sports. The original film had the Southern California surf scene as the main theme. However, the storyline about an FBI agent infiltrating a crime ring as well as the names of the principle characters remains the same.
If the film is finalised, Butler will play Bodhi, an expert extreme-sports athlete who seeks nirvana through the conquest of a series of athletic feats such as surfing 100-foot waves, reports THR.
However, for the time being the actor will next be seen in Liongate’s epic fantasy Gods of Egypt, which starts shooting in March. Later in the year, he will be seen in London Is Falling, the sequel to his action hit Olympus Has Fallen.
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.
