Hollywood
Harry Potter movie opens in 72 Imax theatres globally
MUMBAI: The adventure continues in Imax!
Today, 18 November 2005 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: The IMAX Experience is being released in select Imax theatres concurrent with the 35mm release.
The film is expected to debut in a record
72 Imax theatres with an additional 18 to open in weeks following, eclipsing the mark set by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The Imax Experience earlier this year.
In India, it has been released today in Mumbai at the Imax Dome in Wadala and also in Delhi and Hyderabad. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire has been digitally re-mastered for The Imax Experience with proprietary Imax DMR (digital re-mastering) technology. This is the fourth installment in the beloved Harry Potter franchise, and the second to be digitally re-mastered into Imax.
The film’s director, Mike Newell, who also made Four Weddings and A Funeral says, “We are very excited to bring the suspense, humour, action and drama of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire to life on the giant Imax screen. The breathtaking Imax format brings a whole new
perspective to this marvellous story.”
Warner Bros. Pictures president domestic distribution, Dan Fellman says, “There is clearly a real appetite on the part of audiences to see Harry Potter on the Imax screen. We are glad to be able to offer this unique viewing experience in selected Imax theaters in America and in Canada, and we can already see that fans are thrilled to have this opportunity.”
In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry played by Daniel Radcliffe must contend with being mysteriously selected to compete in the prestigious Triwizard Tournament. This is a competition that pits him against older and more experienced students from Hogwarts and two rival European wizarding schools. Meanwhile, supporters of Harry’s nemesis, the
evil Lord Voldemort played by Ralph Fiennes The English Patient, send a shockwave of fear throughout the wizard community when their Dark Mark scorches the sky at the Quidditch World Cup, signalling Voldemort’s return to power. But for Harry, this is not the only harrowing news causing him anxiety — he still has yet to find a date for Hogwarts’ Yule Ball dance.
Hollywood
Paramount eyes $24bn Gulf support to fund Warner Bros Discovery merger: Reports
Sovereign funds line up funding as media giants chase streaming scale
NEW YORK: Paramount Skydance is in talks to secure nearly $24 billion in equity commitments from Gulf sovereign wealth funds to support its planned takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, according to a WSJ report.
The funding push comes as Paramount Skydance advances its proposed $110 billion deal for Warner Bros. Discovery, which carries an equity valuation of $81 billion and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
At the heart of the financing plan are three major Gulf investors. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is expected to contribute roughly $10 billion, while the Qatar Investment Authority and Abu Dhabi-based L’imad Holding are likely to make up the remainder.
Crucially, the proposed investments are structured as non-voting stakes. This means the Gulf backers would not have direct control in the combined entity, a move designed to ease regulatory concerns in the United States. Paramount executives reportedly do not expect the deal to trigger scrutiny from bodies such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States or the Federal Communications Commission.
If completed, the merger would bring together a formidable portfolio of entertainment and news assets, including CNN and CBS. The combined entity aims to better compete in a fast-evolving media landscape where streaming platforms are steadily pulling audiences away from traditional television.
The deal reflects a broader shift in global media, where scale is increasingly seen as essential to survive the streaming wars. By pooling content libraries, technology and distribution, Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery are betting on size and synergy to drive future growth.
The involvement of deep-pocketed Gulf investors also underscores the growing role of sovereign wealth in shaping global media consolidation, particularly at a time when high-value deals demand equally large financial backing.
With shareholder votes and regulatory milestones still ahead, the proposed tie-up remains one of the most closely watched media deals of the year. If it clears the final hurdles, it could redraw the competitive map of the global entertainment industry.
