Hollywood
Morgan Freeman comes out in Ben Afflecks support
MUMBAI: Ever since actor Ben Affleck decided to play Batman, he has been attacked with some of the most critical remarks of his career. In fact even a petition began on the Change.org website calling for his removal currently as Batman for the sequel to Superman reboot Man of Steel 2.
However, slowly the industry is coming forward to support the actor. This time, it is actor Morgan Freeman, who has come out to talk in his support. The 76-year-old actor thinks that Affleck will surely fit the Batman’s role and asked the critics and fans to give him a chance to portray the much demanding role.
“It’s a franchise! It’ll stand on its own merits, and you can’t really say anything until he’s done it. The pre-judging was strange. Give him a shot!” Freeman said in a statement.
The next installment of the series will be the first film ever where Batman and Superman will come up on the big screen together. Henry Cavill has already been finalized for the role of Superman in the sequel.
Hollywood
Paramount responds to Warner Bros’ seven-day negotiation offer
$30 all-cash bid battles Netflix pact as board sets March vote
NEW YORK: The streaming wars have taken a corporate twist, with Paramount Skydance sharpening its pitch just as Warner Bros. Discovery doubles down on its planned tie-up with Netflix.
In a pointed statement, Paramount said WBD’s board has granted it a seven-day window to negotiate, but stopped short of formally declaring the $30-per-share all-cash offer a superior proposal. Such a determination would normally open the door to talks without a ticking clock.
Instead, the WBD board is pressing ahead with its special shareholder meeting on 20 March to seek approval for the Netflix merger. Proxy materials already sent to investors put the deal’s value in a range between $21.23 and $27.75 per share.
Paramount’s counter, by contrast, is simpler and sweeter. It offers $30 per share in cash, plus a quarterly ticking fee of $0.25 per share until the transaction closes, promising what it calls a faster and more certain route to completion.
While it described the board’s approach as unusual, Paramount said it is ready to engage in good-faith discussions during the short negotiating window. At the same time, it is not putting all its chips on the table. The company plans to continue its tender offer, campaign against the Netflix merger, and push ahead with plans to nominate its own slate of directors at WBD’s upcoming annual meeting.
For investors, it now reads like a three-act drama: a richer cash bid on one side, a strategic streaming partner on the other, and a board trying to keep both suitors in the wings, at least for a week.
