Hollywood
PVR Pictures’ 9 movies at Toronto International Film Festival
NEW DELHI: PVR Pictures’ nine films will be among other critically acclaimed international films at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) this year.
The movies includes: Sicario, Legend, The Program, Equals, Demolition, The Idol, About Ray (Three Generations), Youth and Trumbo. These movies will be released in India over the next few months.
The 40th edition of the festival will be held from 10 – 20 September.
PVR joint managing director Sanjeev Kumar said, “The Toronto International Film Festival is definitely a great platform to showcase the success story of PVR Pictures to the world. We are honoured and delighted to unveil the best work of PVR Pictures at such a grand platform. We are hopeful that the movies would be appreciated by the audiences worldwide.”
He added, “In the past couple of years, PVR Pictures has emerged as an extremely important business for PVR group. Today PVR Pictures is the largest independent studio for Hollywood films in India with partners like Lions Gate, Annapurna, Lotus, FilmNation, StudioCanal, IM Global, Weinstein, Sierra Affinity. TIFF is yet another platform, which will showcase the success story of PVR Pictures to the world.”
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.
