Hollywood
Sony Pictures India releases an exciting slate of Hollywood movies for 2014-2015
As we ready ourselves to enter into the New Year, even production houses have chalked out their plans to entertain viewers with the big releases. One of those is Sony Pictures India that has released its slate of Hollywood movies for 2014-2015.
Kicking off the New Year will be Carrie on 17 January, the supernatural horror reimagining of the 1976 cult classic, based on the bestselling Stephen King novel about a shy, alienated girl who unleashes telekinetic terror on her small town after being pushed too far at her senior prom.
Following this, will be the release of Robocop on Valentine’s Day (14 February), another re-envisioning of the hit 1987 film about a bionic man facing humankind’s ever daunting question on who wins in the end: man or machine?
Another remake soon follows suit on 11 April in the form of About Last Night, a reboot of the 1986 film of the same name, which was based on the 1974 David Mamet play, Sexual Perversity In Chicago.
On 2 May, Peter Parker returns to fight against Electro, a formidable villain who has terrorised New York City in Spider Man 2.
20 June would witness the release of two of the most highly anticipated movies of 2014, the first being Heaven Is For Real, about a small-town father who must find the courage and conviction to share his son’s extraordinary, life-changing experience with the world, and the next being 22 Jump Street, the sequel to 2012 box office hit 21 Jump Street, about two police officers going undercover as adolescent students at a local school.
25 July would see the release of the Eric Bana-starrer Deliver Us From Evil. On 8 Aug, watch a married couple wake up to discover that the sex tape they made the evening before has gone missing, leading to a frantic search for its whereabouts in Sex Tape.
Think Like A Man Too, another sequel, of the 2012 film will release on 29 August. Next up will be No Good Deeds, a movie about a former district attorney turned stay-at-home mom and her two small children who are terrorised and kidnapped after she invites a handsome but mysterious stranger into their home to wait for help after his car runs off the road releasing on 26 September.
The Equalizer would release on 3 October, the storyline follows a retired intelligence officer Robert McCall who turns into a vigilante for the helpless. Ending the year on high note on 14 November would be The Interview, a movie about a late night talk show host and his producer best friend, approached by the CIA and asked to assassinate Kim, a mysterious and ruthless dictator of a nuclear-armed North Korea making them two of the least qualified men ever to assassinate – or interview – the most dangerous man on earth.
Films slated for release in 2015 includes Annie, Kitchen Sink, Chappie, the new James Bond movie, and the latest installments in The Smurfs and Hotel Transylvania franchise.
Hollywood
Paramount seeks FCC nod for foreign-backed $110 billion WBD deal
Gulf funds back merger as foreign stake nears 50 per cent, control stays with Ellison
NEW YORK: Paramount Global has approached the Federal Communications Commission seeking approval for foreign investments tied to its proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, marking another key step in one of the biggest media deals in recent years.
According to regulatory filings made public this week, the investment backing the deal includes major Gulf sovereign funds such as the Public Investment Fund, the Qatar Investment Authority and L’imad Holding Company. Together, foreign investors are expected to hold just under 50 per cent of Paramount’s equity once the transaction is complete.
Despite the sizeable international backing, Paramount has made it clear that voting control will remain with the family of chief executive David Ellison, ensuring the company stays firmly under US control as required by broadcasting rules.
A company spokesperson described the FCC filing as routine for transactions involving foreign capital and stressed that it does not impact the closing of the deal. Under US law, any significant foreign ownership in broadcast licence holders must undergo regulatory review.
The merger itself has already cleared a major hurdle, with Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approving the deal on 23 April. The transaction values the company at $31 per share, a 147 per cent premium to its earlier trading price, reflecting strong strategic intent behind the tie-up.
If completed, the combined entity will bring together a vast portfolio including Warner Bros. film studios, HBO Max, and networks such as CNN, TNT and Discovery Channel. The deal is currently expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
However, scrutiny is intensifying. The US Department of Justice has issued subpoenas seeking details on the merger’s potential impact on cinema competition, streaming services and content licensing. Reviews are also anticipated in international markets, including the United Kingdom.
There is also a financial safety net built into the agreement. If regulators ultimately block the deal, Paramount would face a $7 billion break-up fee. Additionally, the company has taken on $2.8 billion in obligations previously owed by Warner Bros. Discovery to Netflix following an earlier terminated arrangement.
Paramount maintains that easing foreign ownership barriers will unlock fresh capital and strengthen its ability to compete in a rapidly evolving media landscape. For now, the spotlight remains on regulators, whose decision will determine whether this global media consolidation moves from script to screen.
