Hollywood
Image Entertainment acquires thriller Odd Thomas
“Director Stephen Sommers’s spectacular style and extraordinary vision translates so well to the big screen for this material,” said Bromiley. “We are proud to distribute the film and introduce the magical world of Odd Thomas to a wider audience.”
The deal was negotiated by Bromiley, Mark Ward and Jess De Leo on behalf of Image Entertainment and Paul Hudson on behalf of the filmmakers.
Dean Koontz is an American author, known for his bestselling suspense thrillers. Fourteen of his novels reached the number one position on the New York Times hardcover and paperback bestsellers lists, including Odd Hours, Midnight, The Bad Place, Cold Fire, Hideaway, Dragon Tears, Intensity, Sole Survivor, From the Corner of His Eye, One Door Away From Heaven, The Husband, Relentless, What the Night Knows and 77 Shadow Street. Koontz is one of only a dozen writers that have achieved this milestone. His books have been published in 38 languages and he has sold over 450 million copies to date.
Recent Image Entertainment releases include The Colony with Laurence Fishburne, Bill Paxton and Kevin Zegers, Paradise with Julianne Hough, Russell Brand, Octavia Spencer and Holly Hunter, written, directed and produced by Diablo Cody and the upcoming The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box starring Michael Sheen, Lena Headey, Sam Neill and Aneurin Barnard and Rage starring Nicolas Cage and Danny Glover.
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.
