Hollywood
Pitt, Bale and Gosling to star in ‘The Big Short’
MUMBAI: Bradd Pitt, Chistian Bale and Ryan Gosling have signed the dotted lines for The Big Short, which is being written and directed by Adam McKay.
The film, which is going to be produced by Brad Pitt’s production company, Plan B, will be an adaptation of a bestselling book written by acclaimed journalist, Michael Lewis.
The Big Short will deal with the housing and credit bubble disaster that led to the global financial crisis in 2007. The film is likely to be structured as an ensemble effort featuring several characters who had a role in creating the credit crisis.
The Big Short will also be jointly produced by Paramount Pictures and Plan B.
Bradd Pitt founded Plan B in 2002 along with ex-wife Jennifer Aniston, who left the company in 2006 after the couple split. The leading production company has grown over the years from strength to strength, tackling weighty subjects including 2014’s best picture Oscar 12 Years a Slave, and civil rights drama Selma, which received multiple Golden Globes nominations.
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.
