Hollywood
Sony Pictures inks first-look deal with Josh Bratman
MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Entertainment has signed a two-year first-look deal with Josh Bratman’s Immersive Pictures.
Bratman will produce multiple movie projects for the studio under the deal. These include:
1) The Harlem Hellfighters, based on the graphic novel by Max Brooks, with Overbrook Entertainment;
2) The Black Count, based on Tom Reiss’ biography of General Alex Dumas, with John Legend’s Get Lifted Productions. Cary Fukunaga to adapt and direct;
3) The Sculptor, based on Scott McCloud’s graphic novel, which Bratman will produce with Scott Rudin;
4) The Themis Files, an upcoming sci-fi debut novel by Sylvain Neuvel, which David Koepp will adapt and on which Bratman will team with Matt Tolmach Productions;
5) Descender, based on Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen’s upcoming graphic novel.
“Josh has been an important part of the Sony Pictures family for many years. This deal just cements that fact. He’s an incredibly skilled producer, capable of the best work on many different kinds of films. We’re thrilled that we’ll be keeping him in-house as he continues to work on some of our most important development projects,” said Columbia Pictures presidents of production Michael De Luca and Hannah Minghella.
Before founding Immersive Pictures, Bratman worked as an executive for Sony Pictures-based Michael De Luca Productions for over a decade. There, he oversaw and executive produced various projects for De Luca.
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.
