Hollywood
Sony Classical to release OST of ‘The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’
MUMBAI: The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is the second installment of the star-studded British comedy that follows a group of British retirees who decide to spice up their lives in India. In theaters on 6 March, 2015, the sequel is once again directed by John Madden, best known for his acclaimed movies Shakespeare In Love (Academy Award winner for Best Picture, 1998), Proof (based on the eponymous Pulitzer Prize winning play, 2005) and The Debt. The first film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel proved to be an international success, grossing over $136 million worldwide.
The cast has reunited for the film including stars Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, Dev Patel, Celia Imrie, Penelope Wilton, Ronald Pickup, Tina Desai, Diana Hardcastle and Lillete Dubey. Additional cast making their debut include Tamsin Greig, with David Strathairn and Richard Gere.
The soundtrack for The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel will be made available on 24 February, 2015 via Sony Classical. Thomas Newman, one of the most respected composers in the movie industry, has once again composed the original score. With a career spanning over 30 years, Newman has scored more than 70 feature films. Newman has thus far been nominated for 12 Academy Awards and has won an Emmy Award, two BAFTA Awards and six Grammy Awards.
Newman has composed the scores for films like American Beauty, Skyfall, Erin Brockovich, The Good German, Finding Nemo and Wall-E for Pixar as well as The Horse Whisperer, The Help and The Iron Lady.
Newman’s vibrant and inspirational score for The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, masterfully evokes the Indian musical textures and ensures an elegant and delightful musical journey.
“Tom’s ability to penetrate the soul of a film is unmatched; In the two Marigold films, Tom’s group of collaborators expanded to include some extraordinary Indian players and vocal soloists, creating a musical and cultural synthesis that has produced two ravishing and interlocking scores: atmospheric, surprising, thrilling, funny, haunting and entirely sui generis,” says director John Madden.
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.
