Hollywood
Jennifer Lawrence named the most bankable star of 2014
MUMBAI: Jennifer Lawrence’ blockbuster films The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 and X-Men: Days of Future Past have made a total of $1.4 billion in the box office.
The success of these films has made the 24 year old actress the most bankable box office star of 2014, according to Forbes magazine.
Lawrence was listed ahead of Chris Pratt and Scarlett Johansson on Forbes’ annual list, which assigns rankings based on the year’s most successful films and the actors who starred in them.
Pratt came in second with a combined $1.2bn, thanks to the financial success of comic-book fantasy Guardians of the Galaxy and The Lego Movie, in which he provided the lead voice role.
Johansson made it to the third spot with a total of $1.18bn after appearing in superhero sequel Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Lucy and Under the Skin.
Here is the list of top 10 highest-grossing actors of 2014:
1. Jennifer Lawrence: $1.4bn (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – part one, X-Men: Days of Future Past)
2. Chris Pratt: $1.2bn (Guardians of the Galaxy, The Lego Movie)
3. Scarlett Johansson: $1.18bn (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Lucy, Under the Skin)
4. Mark Wahlberg: $1bn (Transformers: Age of Extinction)
5. Chris Evans: $800m (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Snowpiercer)
6. Emma Stone: $764m (The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Magic in the Moonlight, Birdman)
7. Angelina Jolie: $758m (Maleficent)
8. James McAvoy: $747m (Days of Future Past, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby)
9. Michael Fassbender: $746m (Days of Future Past)
10. Hugh Jackman: $746m (Days of Future Past)
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.
