Hollywood
PVR Pictures acquires ‘Fox Catcher’
NEW DELHI: Acclaimed film Fox Catcher which won the best director award for Bennett Miller has been acquired for India by PVR Pictures, the distribution arm of the largest cinema exhibition company in India, at the Cannes Film Festival this year.
Director Bennett Miller, whose previous film Moneyball starring Brad Pitt was nominated for six Academy Awards, has based Fox Catcher on the real-life murder of Olympic wrestler Dave Schultz.
In addition to the Fox Catcher PVR Pictures acquired Alone in Berlin, Our Kind of Traitor, Equals, Untitled Lance Armstrong Biopic, Legend, Civilian, Inversion, American Express, Hologram for the King, London Fields and Visions among others.
PVR joint managing director Sanjeev Kumar said, “PVR believes in not only providing a world class standard of cinema watching experience to the audiences but it equally emphasises on quality content that is acknowledged globally for its viewers. Indian patrons are opening up to recognise global cinema with quality subject matter. This is a very good time for the industry and the Indian audience has a lot to look forward to in the coming months.”
PVR Pictures had earlier brought films like American Hustle, The Wolf of the Wall Street, 12 years a Slave, Her, Nebraska, Lone Survivor, Dallas Buyers Club to name a few; which were major nominations at the Oscars, being testament to, bringing to the new class of cine goers, content driven films.
PVR has a decade long association with international film festivals like Oscars and now it is becoming a leading exhibitor of French Riviera through Cannes.
Hollywood
David Zaslav could net up to $887m as Warner Bros Discovery sells up
Media mogul strikes gold as Paramount Skydance deal triggers massive windfall
NEW YORK: While the average office worker might hope for a nice clock and a round of applause upon leaving, David Zaslav is looking at a slightly more substantial parting gift. The chief executive officer of Warner Bros Discovery is positioned to receive a windfall of up to $887 million following the company’s blockbuster $110 billion sale to Paramount Skydance.
In a twist of corporate fate that feels scripted for the big screen, the deal marks the finale of a high-stakes bidding war. It comes after Netflix, once the frontrunner, decided to exit stage left and abandon its pursuit of the HBO Max parent company.
While most people receive a standard final paycheck, the filing released on Monday suggests Zaslav’s exit package is built a little differently. If the deal closes as expected in the third quarter of 2026, the numbers break down like this:
The cash out: A severance package of $34.2 million, covering his salary and bonuses.
The equity: $115.8 million in vested shares he already owns.
The future fortune: A massive $517.2 million in unvested share awards, essentially “future stock” that turns into real money the moment the ink dries on the merger.
Perhaps the most eye-catching figure is the $335 million earmarked for tax reimbursements. However, this particular pot of gold has an expiration date.
The company noted that these reimbursements are tied to specific tax-code rules that significantly decline as time passes. If the deal hits a snag and drags into 2027, that tax payout drops to zero. With hundreds of millions on the line, the chief executive officer likely has every incentive to ensure the closing process moves at double-speed.
