Hollywood
New Woody Allen film ‘Magic in the Moonlight’ trailer released
MUMBAI: Yahoo Movies has released the first look trailer of Woody Allen’s new movie Magic in the Moonlight. The movie comes after Allen’s Academy Award winning Blue Jasmine starring Cate Blanchett. Magic in the Moonlight is set in the 1920s France, rather reminiscent of the Academy Award winning Midnight in Paris.
It stars Colin Firth as Stanley, an Englishman posing as an Asian magician who attempts to debunk fake spiritualists. He travels to the south of France to unmask a supposed medium named Sophie (Emma Stone) as a good-looking fake — but ends up falling for her real-world charms instead.
“I had it on a piece of notepaper in my drawer for ages,” Allen told Entertainment Weekly on the film’s period European setting. “I knew it was a good plot, but I kept seeing it as a contemporary thing and something about that just didn’t smell right to me. Then when it occurred to me it could be set in the south of France in the 1920s, all of a sudden it just felt good.”
Magic in the Moonlight boasts an ensemble cast led by Academy Award winning Colin Firth (The King’s Speech) and Golden Globe Award nominee Emma Stone (Easy A) with Hamish Linklater (The Crazy Ones), Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden (Pollock), Academy Award nominee Jacki Weaver (Silver Linings Playbook) and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award winner Eileen Atkins (Gosford Park).
Imagine Midnight in Paris, with a Match Point and Scoop topping on a You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger cone! True fans of Woody Allen, that reference is for you!
Hollywood
Paramount seeks FCC nod for foreign-backed $110 billion WBD deal
Gulf funds back merger as foreign stake nears 50 per cent, control stays with Ellison
NEW YORK: Paramount Global has approached the Federal Communications Commission seeking approval for foreign investments tied to its proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, marking another key step in one of the biggest media deals in recent years.
According to regulatory filings made public this week, the investment backing the deal includes major Gulf sovereign funds such as the Public Investment Fund, the Qatar Investment Authority and L’imad Holding Company. Together, foreign investors are expected to hold just under 50 per cent of Paramount’s equity once the transaction is complete.
Despite the sizeable international backing, Paramount has made it clear that voting control will remain with the family of chief executive David Ellison, ensuring the company stays firmly under US control as required by broadcasting rules.
A company spokesperson described the FCC filing as routine for transactions involving foreign capital and stressed that it does not impact the closing of the deal. Under US law, any significant foreign ownership in broadcast licence holders must undergo regulatory review.
The merger itself has already cleared a major hurdle, with Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approving the deal on 23 April. The transaction values the company at $31 per share, a 147 per cent premium to its earlier trading price, reflecting strong strategic intent behind the tie-up.
If completed, the combined entity will bring together a vast portfolio including Warner Bros. film studios, HBO Max, and networks such as CNN, TNT and Discovery Channel. The deal is currently expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
However, scrutiny is intensifying. The US Department of Justice has issued subpoenas seeking details on the merger’s potential impact on cinema competition, streaming services and content licensing. Reviews are also anticipated in international markets, including the United Kingdom.
There is also a financial safety net built into the agreement. If regulators ultimately block the deal, Paramount would face a $7 billion break-up fee. Additionally, the company has taken on $2.8 billion in obligations previously owed by Warner Bros. Discovery to Netflix following an earlier terminated arrangement.
Paramount maintains that easing foreign ownership barriers will unlock fresh capital and strengthen its ability to compete in a rapidly evolving media landscape. For now, the spotlight remains on regulators, whose decision will determine whether this global media consolidation moves from script to screen.
