Hollywood
‘Vampire Diaries’ prod house to adapt new novel by ‘Sisterhood of Travelling Pants’ scribe
MUMBAI: Alcon Entertainment and Alloy Entertainment along with Kira Davis’ 8:38 Productions have acquired film rights for Young Adult (YA) novel The Here and Now by Ann Brashares.
The Here and Now follows the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country, she came from a different time – a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins.
Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. She does as told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth. But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves.
This upcoming film project marks a reunion for Alloy, Alcon and 8:38, as the three companies collaborated on their two movies based on Brashares’ The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants novels. Starring Blake Lively (Gossip Girl), Alexis Bledel (Gilmore Girls), America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) and Amber Tamblyn (Two and a Half Men), the first film, The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants was released in 2005 and earned $42 million worldwide, and the sequel, The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2 followed in 2008, earning $44.4 million worldwide.
“I’m excited to be working with Alloy and Alcon again as they take my latest novel and the main character of Prenna James to the big screen,” said Brashares in a statement. “We had an incredibly productive collaboration on The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, and I’m looking forward to building on that great foundation we established for The Here and Now.”
Hollywood
David Zaslav could net up to $887m as Warner Bros Discovery sells up
Media mogul strikes gold as Paramount Skydance deal triggers massive windfall
NEW YORK: While the average office worker might hope for a nice clock and a round of applause upon leaving, David Zaslav is looking at a slightly more substantial parting gift. The chief executive officer of Warner Bros Discovery is positioned to receive a windfall of up to $887 million following the company’s blockbuster $110 billion sale to Paramount Skydance.
In a twist of corporate fate that feels scripted for the big screen, the deal marks the finale of a high-stakes bidding war. It comes after Netflix, once the frontrunner, decided to exit stage left and abandon its pursuit of the HBO Max parent company.
While most people receive a standard final paycheck, the filing released on Monday suggests Zaslav’s exit package is built a little differently. If the deal closes as expected in the third quarter of 2026, the numbers break down like this:
The cash out: A severance package of $34.2 million, covering his salary and bonuses.
The equity: $115.8 million in vested shares he already owns.
The future fortune: A massive $517.2 million in unvested share awards, essentially “future stock” that turns into real money the moment the ink dries on the merger.
Perhaps the most eye-catching figure is the $335 million earmarked for tax reimbursements. However, this particular pot of gold has an expiration date.
The company noted that these reimbursements are tied to specific tax-code rules that significantly decline as time passes. If the deal hits a snag and drags into 2027, that tax payout drops to zero. With hundreds of millions on the line, the chief executive officer likely has every incentive to ensure the closing process moves at double-speed.
