Hollywood
IM Global to launch Justin Bieber doc Believe from Never Say Never helmer
MUMBAI: Gearing up for Toronto, IM Global chief Stuart Ford says the company is “engineering its usual full-on assault on the marketplace.” Ford is currently in Venice in support of Ti West’s The Sacrament and Steven Knight’s Tom Hardy-starrer Locke.
Both of those films are part of an abundant Toronto slate that’s spread across the outfit’s different labels. Among the brand new movies on the lineup are Justin Bieber’s Believe, which will screen for select buyers in Toronto. Jon M. Chu, who helmed hit concert film Justin Bieber’s Never Say Never, directed Believe in what was an under the radar operation.
IM Global’s wide release label Opus is handling worldwide sales and Open Road is releasing domestically. The documentary mixes in concert footage to trace Bieber’s path to becoming a worldwide phenomenon.
Also new is Bachelorette director Leslye Headland’s Sleeping With Other People. Kirsten Dunst, who starred in Bachelorette, will topline the follow-up, joined by Jason Sudeikis. The movie is in pre-production. IM Global genre label Octane is handling.
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.
