Hollywood
Paul Walker’s character to retire in ‘Fast and Furious’ next film
MUMBAI: It was a tragic incident for the movie lover when in November last year, actor Paul Walker died in an accident. The actor, who had become synonymous with the Fast and Furiouswas working on the seventh installment of the movie when he lost his life in the accident, also leaving Universal Studios in a quandary about the future of the film.
However, now the Studio has decided the fate of the movie. In a new move, it has decided to “retire” the character of Brian O’Conner in the popular action film franchise, Fast and the Furious. According to a report in the The Hollywood Reporter (THR), the Studio would “tweak the script and add scenes so footage of the late actor’s Brian O’Conner character can still be used — but the franchise can continue.” And the Studio plans to use all earlier footage shot with the actor before his untimely death.
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The writer, director and producer who came up with the plan to tweak the existing script allowing Walker’s character to be written out of the story are James Wan, Chris Morgan and Jeffrey Kirschenbaum, respectively.
Since the release date of the next installment in the popular franchise, Fast & the Furious 7, has been pushed to April 2015, this delay provides enough time for additional scenes to be written and shot.
This news comes soon after the coroner’s report that revealed the car in which Walker was a passenger when he died was going over 100 miles per hour. According to the report published in THR, the driver Roger Rodas lost control for “unknown reasons.”
Hollywood
Paramount eyes $24bn Gulf support to fund Warner Bros Discovery merger: Reports
Sovereign funds line up funding as media giants chase streaming scale
NEW YORK: Paramount Skydance is in talks to secure nearly $24 billion in equity commitments from Gulf sovereign wealth funds to support its planned takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, according to a WSJ report.
The funding push comes as Paramount Skydance advances its proposed $110 billion deal for Warner Bros. Discovery, which carries an equity valuation of $81 billion and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
At the heart of the financing plan are three major Gulf investors. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is expected to contribute roughly $10 billion, while the Qatar Investment Authority and Abu Dhabi-based L’imad Holding are likely to make up the remainder.
Crucially, the proposed investments are structured as non-voting stakes. This means the Gulf backers would not have direct control in the combined entity, a move designed to ease regulatory concerns in the United States. Paramount executives reportedly do not expect the deal to trigger scrutiny from bodies such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States or the Federal Communications Commission.
If completed, the merger would bring together a formidable portfolio of entertainment and news assets, including CNN and CBS. The combined entity aims to better compete in a fast-evolving media landscape where streaming platforms are steadily pulling audiences away from traditional television.
The deal reflects a broader shift in global media, where scale is increasingly seen as essential to survive the streaming wars. By pooling content libraries, technology and distribution, Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery are betting on size and synergy to drive future growth.
The involvement of deep-pocketed Gulf investors also underscores the growing role of sovereign wealth in shaping global media consolidation, particularly at a time when high-value deals demand equally large financial backing.
With shareholder votes and regulatory milestones still ahead, the proposed tie-up remains one of the most closely watched media deals of the year. If it clears the final hurdles, it could redraw the competitive map of the global entertainment industry.
