Hollywood
Wine Spectator raises a toast to Brangelina Wine
MUMBAI: Actor Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s wine has been named one of the world’s best.
Wine Spectator released its annual Top 100 list, the Hollywood couple’s 2012 Jolie-Pitt & Perrin Côtes de Provence Rosé Miraval ranks No. 84 in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list of the best wines of 2013. The magazine describes the wine as “Refined and elegant, offering pure and concentrated flavors of dried red berry, tangerine and melon.”
“The focused finish features flint and spice notes, with a hint of cream,” the description added.
Jolie and Pitt’s foray into wines is a joint venture with established vintner Marc Perrin. When the first 6,000 bottles of the 2012 vintage were put on sale earlier in the year during spring, they sold out within five hours.
Hollywood
Paramount Skydance secures financing for Warner Bros Discovery deal
Debt syndication and new loans push $111 billion merger closer to close
WASHINGTON: Paramount Skydance has taken a major step towards its planned acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, securing fresh financing and completing the syndication of its bridge loan facility.
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company confirmed that the bridge facility has now been distributed among a group of 18 banks, reducing total commitments to $49 billion from an earlier $54 billion. The move spreads risk across lenders and signals growing confidence in one of the year’s largest media deals.
Alongside this, the company has finalised permanent financing arrangements, including $5 billion in senior term loans and a $5 billion revolving credit facility. A previously planned $3.5 billion credit line has been dropped as part of the restructuring.
The loans are secured against key assets, including Paramount Global, Skydance Media and Warner Bros post-merger, underlining the scale and complexity of the transaction.
The financing push follows a competitive bidding process earlier this year, which saw interest from players such as Netflix before Paramount Skydance emerged as the frontrunner. The deal, valued at $111 billion, is expected to close in the third quarter, subject to regulatory approvals.
Adding to the momentum, the company has also secured significant equity backing, including investments from Middle Eastern funds, with support from billionaire Larry Ellison, who has guaranteed the equity portion of the transaction.
Commenting on the development, Paramount Skydance chief strategy officer Andy Gordon said, “Our successful debt syndication and new debt facilities represent another important milestone towards the completion of our acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery.”
Once completed, the combined entity is expected to carry net debt of just under $80 billion, reflecting the sheer scale of the merger.
As Hollywood continues to consolidate in the streaming era, this deal could reshape the competitive landscape, with Paramount Skydance betting big on scale, content and financial muscle to take on global rivals.
