Hollywood
Leonardo DiCaprio partners with Netflix for release of documentary on endangered gorillas
NEW DELHI: Actor Leonardo DiCaprio and his Appian Way Productions shingle have partnered with Netflix for the release of Virunga, a documentary about endangered gorillas on the Congo that the digital network acquired exclusive subscription-video rights to in July.
DiCaprio will serve as an executive producer on the film, which is slated for release on 7 November in theatres in New York and Los Angeles and in all territories where Netflix is available.
In a review earlier this year at Tribeca, the Variety magazine called it a “rousing, must-see work, filmed amid flying bullets and racist conspirators, provides a dramatic front-row seat to a struggle whose moral integrity proves no guarantee against the superior firepower of greed and corruption.”
“Films like ‘Virunga’ are powerful stories that are a window into the incredible cultural and natural diversity of our world, the forces that are threatening to destroy it, and the people who are fighting to protect it,” said DiCaprio, who is himself an environmental activist.
“Partnering with Netflix on this film is an exciting opportunity to inform and inspire individuals to engage on this topic,” he added.
Directed by Orlando von Einsiedel, the film follows an embattled team of park rangers and the endangered mountain gorillas they protect as they are caught in the crossfire of poachers, militia and industry in Africa’s oldest national park.
“Leo intuitively understands that there is nothing like the power of film to reach people’s hearts and minds,” said Netflix CCO Ted Sarandos.
“With Virunga, we’ll work with Leo to introduce viewers around the world to an incredible, gripping story that will have audiences guessing right up until the final act.”
Hollywood
UK watchdog CMA to probe Warner Bros-Paramount merger deal
Phase 1 review to assess competition risks as industry voices opposition
LONDON: The Competition and Markets Authority is set to launch a preliminary investigation into the proposed $110 billion merger between Warner Bros Discovery and Paramount, marking the first formal regulatory step in assessing the deal’s impact on competition.
The UK watchdog has initiated a consultation process with industry stakeholders, inviting comments until April 27. This phase, known as a Phase 1 review, will evaluate whether the merger could harm competition across the film and television sectors, both of which play a significant role in the UK economy.
“We expect to launch our phase 1 investigation in the coming weeks,” said Competition and Markets Authority spokesperson, in an emailed statement to Reuters. “The film and TV industries contribute billions to our economy, so it’s important we assess whether deals between studios may harm competition.”
The proposed transaction, which also involves Skydance Media, would bring together two of Hollywood’s largest studios, combining extensive content libraries and potentially reshaping the global entertainment landscape.
Following the initial assessment, the regulator will decide whether to escalate the matter to a more detailed Phase 2 investigation, which typically involves deeper scrutiny of market dynamics and competitive risks.
The deal is already facing growing resistance from within the creative community. More than 1,000 industry professionals, including Jane Fonda, Mark Ruffalo and Ben Stiller, have publicly opposed the merger, warning it could reduce opportunities, limit storytelling diversity and place further strain on an industry still adjusting to rapid change.
As regulators begin to weigh the implications, the proposed merger is shaping up to be a defining test of how far consolidation can go in a media industry already in flux.
