Hollywood
‘The Great Gatsby’ leads Australian Academy nominations
Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby, based on F Scott Fitzgerald’s classic, leads the nominees for the third annual Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) honors, scoring a total of 14 nominations in almost all categories, including best film and best director.
The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan who have both picked up best acting nominations, while Joel Edgerton, Elizabeth Debicki and Isla Fisher are nominated in the supporting actor and actress categories.
Other best film nominees include Satellite Boy from Catriona McKenzie, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival this year; Ivan Sen’s Outback crime drama Mystery Road, and Tony Krawitz’ Greece-set drama Dead Europe.
The 3rd AACTA Awards will be held on 20 January in Sydney.
Hollywood
WBD sets April 23 vote on $110bn Paramount Skydance merger
Investor approval key step, but regulators loom over mega media deal
NEW YORK: Warner Bros. Discovery has set April 23 as the date for shareholders to vote on its proposed $110 billion merger with Paramount Skydance, marking a crucial step in one of the biggest media deals in recent years.
The all-cash transaction offers WBD shareholders $31 per share, a hefty 147 per cent premium to its unaffected stock price, signalling strong intent to push the deal across the finish line. The company’s board has unanimously backed the merger and is urging investors to vote in favour.
Even if shareholders give the green light, the deal is far from done. Regulators in the United States and Europe are expected to scrutinise the merger closely, weighing concerns around competition and potential price impacts for consumers.
To keep investors on side, WBD has built in a safety net. If the deal is not completed by September 30, shareholders will receive a quarterly “ticking fee” of $0.25 per share until closure.
The proposed merger would significantly reshape the media landscape, combining the assets of Warner Bros. Discovery with those linked to Paramount Global and Skydance Media. It would also cement the growing influence of David Ellison, who has been steering Skydance’s aggressive expansion strategy.
“The WBD Board has been guided by the singular principle of securing a transaction that maximises the value of our iconic assets and delivers as much certainty as possible to our shareholders,” said Warner Bros. Discovery board chair Samuel A. Di Piazza Jr.. “This historic transaction will expand consumer choice and create new opportunities for creative talent.”
Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive officer David Zaslav added that the company is working closely with its counterpart to close the deal and unlock value for stakeholders.
With investor backing likely but regulatory hurdles ahead, the proposed merger is shaping up to be a defining moment for the global entertainment industry, where scale, content and competition are increasingly intertwined.
