Hollywood
Metallica releases new song
MUMBAI: It was in March, this year, that Metallica first debuted the song at a concert in Bogotá, Colombia.
The new recording dubbed ‘First Pass Version’ clocks in eight minutes and 20 seconds and recalls the group’s 80s offerings, with a fiery solo from lead guitarist Kirk Hammett.
Drummer Lars Ulrich told Rolling Stone that the song is “fairly representative of where our creative headspace is at right now.”
Whether the track makes the final cut of Metallica’s next album remains to be seen, but it will by synching with all ESPN’s programming in the US on 21 June 2014.
The band is currently on their ‘Metallica By Request’ run of dates, and are due to headline the main stages at Glastonbury Festival on 28 June, and Sonisphere Festival on 6 July.
They recently took time out to play the MusiCares MAP Fund gala in California where they paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, whilst frontman James Hetfield joined forces with former Van Hale frontman Sammy Hagar at a benefit concert Acoustic-4-a-Cure.
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.
