Hollywood
‘The Interview’ available on American pay TV channels
NEW DELHI: Sony Pictures Entertainment has made its provocative comedy The Interview available through American pay television operators and it has doubled the number of independent theatres to show the movie.
Sony also announced that the film will also be sold through Wal-Mart on-demand service, Vudu, and on Sony’s PlayStation Network. It was already on Google Play and YouTube.
After the film earned $15 million from two million sales or rentals over four days, Apple added the movie to its iTunes store, where it ranked as the top-selling movie on 31 December, 2014.
This week US cable, satellite and telecommunications providers began making the movie available to rent through their video on-demand and pay-per-view services. The providers include Comcas, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications, AT&’s U-verse, Verizon’s Fios and DirecTV. Vudu and Verizon customers also can buy the film.
The Interview also opened in more than 580 independent theatres on 2 January, 2015.
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.
