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By Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Emma Stone was proud to say she did not break any bones while filming the absurdist comedy sci-fi film “Bugonia.” “I’ve broken a lot of bones,” she told Reuters, recalling how she felt nervous when it was time for co-star Jesse Plemons to tackle her for his role as Teddy Gatz, a conspiracy-theory-obsessed beekeeper. “He was completely safe and did an incredible job. I broke no bones,” she said. In “Bugonia,” Stone plays a powerful pharmaceutical CEO named Michelle Fuller, who is kidnapped by two conspiracy theorist cousins who are convinced she is an alien. The film is based on the 2003 South Korean film called “Save the Green Planet!” written and directed by Jang Joon-hwan, and arrives in select theaters on Friday and then across the U.S. on October 31. Plemons portrays Gatz while rising actor Aidan Delbis plays his cousin named Don. Both the real-life Delbis and his fictional character Don are on the autism spectrum, adding representation to the big-name Hollywood film distributed by Focus Features. “That character felt different and felt that he had a different sensibility and a different view of the world, and he was very sensitive,” director Yorgos Lanthimos said about the character Don. “So, I thought that a neurodivergent person would be perfect for this kind of role,” he added. For Lanthimos, Delbis’ role, which was the actor’s feature film debut, served as "the soul of the film” as well as “the voice of logic” that resonates throughout the movie. Stone also felt the story presented complex characters, particularly highlighting the tension between Fuller and Gatz. “It’s just so fun to not know whose side you're on back and forth throughout the entire story, who's in the right, who's in the wrong, and they're both kind of right, and they're both pretty wrong,” Stone said.  (Reporting by Danielle Broadway and Rollo Ross; Editing by Chris Reese)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Kritika Lamba and Kanchana Chakravarty -Netflix shares fell more than 10% on Wednesday, as the streaming giant's outlook for the coming quarter left investors nonplussed despite a strong line-up of shows that includes the final season of "Stranger Things". Investors have become accustomed to routine outperformance from the company that propelled the stock to a gain of more than 360% over the past three years, far outpacing media bellwethers like Walt Disney and even tech stalwarts Apple and Alphabet. It has garnered additional attention with the sweeping success of the animated "KPop Demon Hunters".  But since peaking in June, shares have declined more than 16%, signaling that investors are growing cautious about its lofty valuation and lack of details about subscriber growth. The company's forward price-to-earnings multiple stands at nearly 40, far more than other media companies and major tech names. "Shares have enjoyed a strong run this year, so expectations were already high, and with the valuation sitting above its long-term average, there's added pressure not just to deliver but to exceed," said Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown. Netflix forecast revenue of $11.96 billion for the fourth quarter, compared with Wall Street's projection for $11.9 billion. Third-quarter revenue was roughly in line with forecasts, at $11.5 billion, according to LSEG data.  The company has ventured into advertising and video games to diversify its revenue streams, but these businesses have struggled amid shifts in leadership and strategy, along with competition. For the third quarter, Netflix said it recorded its best ad sales quarter in history without disclosing a number. "Netflix must demonstrate soon that its ad program can accelerate growth to justify a sky-high multiple," analysts at Wedbush said, calling the company's latest guidance "underwhelming" after several quarters of standout results. Netflix stopped reporting subscriber figures early in 2025. The company is banking on its major releases through year-end that include "Stranger Things" and two NFL games set to stream live on Christmas Day. However, Evercore ISI analysts suggested investors should buy any dip in the stock, noting competitors Disney+ and HBO Max have increased their subscription prices, giving Netflix plenty of cover to boost its own rates. The Connecticut-based firm missed profit estimates for the third quarter due to a $619 million charge linked to a tax dispute in Brazil. J.P. Morgan analysts described the expense as "noise," noting that "the bigger focus is the lack of revenue upside in the back half of the year". "With no subscriber numbers, some advocates are grasping at straws to find any sign of weakness, as the company is faring much stronger than its rivals," said PP Foresight analyst Paolo Pescatore. At least three brokerages lowered their price targets on Netflix after the results. (Reporting by Kanchana Chakravarty and Kritika Lamba in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Kritika Lamba and Kanchana Chakravarty -Netflix shares fell more than 8% on Wednesday, as the streaming giant's outlook for the coming quarter left investors nonplussed despite a strong line-up of shows that includes the final season of "Stranger Things". Investors have become accustomed to routine outperformance from the company that propelled the stock to a gain of more than 360% over the past three years, far outpacing media bellwethers like Walt Disney and even tech stalwarts Apple and Alphabet. It has garnered additional attention with the sweeping success of the animated "KPop Demon Hunters".  But since peaking in June, shares have ebbed 7%, a signal that investors are growing cautious about its lofty valuation and lack of details about subscriber growth. The company's forward price-to-earnings multiple stands at nearly 40, far more than other media companies and major tech names. "Shares have enjoyed a strong run this year, so expectations were already high, and with the valuation sitting above its long-term average, there's added pressure not just to deliver but to exceed," said Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown. Netflix forecast revenue of $11.96 billion for the fourth quarter, compared with Wall Street's projection for $11.9 billion. Third-quarter revenue was roughly in line with forecasts, at $11.5 billion, according to LSEG data.  The company has ventured into advertising and video games to diversify its revenue streams, but these businesses have struggled amid shifts in leadership and strategy, along with competition. For the third quarter, Netflix said it recorded its best ad sales quarter in history without disclosing a number. "Netflix must demonstrate soon that its ad program can accelerate growth to justify a sky-high multiple," analysts at Wedbush said, calling the company's latest guidance "underwhelming" after several quarters of standout results. Netflix stopped reporting subscriber figures early in 2025. The company is banking on its major releases through year-end that include "Stranger Things" and two NFL games set to stream live on Christmas Day. However, Evercore ISI analysts suggested investors should buy any dip in the stock, noting competitors Disney+ and HBO Max have increased their subscription prices, giving Netflix plenty of cover to boost its own rates.   The Connecticut-based firm missed profit estimates for the third quarter due to a $619 million charge linked to an ongoing tax dispute in Brazil. J.P. Morgan analysts described the expense as "noise," noting that "the bigger focus is the lack of revenue upside in the back half of the year." "With no subscriber numbers, some advocates are grasping at straws to find any sign of weakness, as the company is faring much stronger than its rivals," said PP Foresight analyst Paolo Pescatore. (Reporting by Kanchana Chakravarty and Kritika Lamba in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Kanchana Chakravarty and Kritika Lamba -Netflix shares fell more than 7% in premarket trading on Wednesday, as the streaming giant's outlook for the coming quarter left investors nonplussed despite a strong line-up of shows that includes the final season of "Stranger Things". Investors have become accustomed to routine outperformance from the company that propelled the stock to a gain of more than 360% over the past three years, far outpacing media bellwethers like Walt Disney and even tech stalwarts Apple and Alphabet. It has garnered additional attention with the sweeping success of the animated "KPop Demon Hunters".  But since peaking in June, shares have ebbed 7%, a signal that investors are growing cautious about its lofty valuation and lack of details about subscriber growth. The company's forward price-to-earnings multiple stands at nearly 40, far more than other media companies and major tech names. "Shares have enjoyed a strong run this year, so expectations were already high, and with the valuation sitting above its long-term average, there's added pressure not just to deliver but to exceed," said Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown. Netflix forecast revenue of $11.96 billion for the fourth quarter, compared with Wall Street's projection for $11.9 billion. Third-quarter revenue was roughly in line with forecasts, at $11.5 billion, according to LSEG data.  The company has ventured into advertising and video games to diversify its revenue streams, but these businesses have struggled amid shifts in leadership and strategy, along with competition. For the third quarter, Netflix said it recorded its best ad sales quarter in history without disclosing a number. "Netflix must demonstrate soon that its ad program can accelerate growth to justify a sky-high multiple," analysts at Wedbush said, calling the company's latest guidance "underwhelming" after several quarters of standout results. Netflix stopped reporting subscriber figures early in 2025. The company is banking on its major releases through year-end that include "Stranger Things" and two NFL games set to stream live on Christmas Day. However, Evercore ISI analysts suggested investors should buy any dip in the stock, noting competitors Disney+ and HBO Max have increased their subscription prices, giving Netflix plenty of cover to boost its own rates.   The Connecticut-based firm missed profit estimates for the third quarter due to a $619 million charge linked to an ongoing tax dispute in Brazil. J.P. Morgan analysts described the expense as "noise," noting that "the bigger focus is the lack of revenue upside in the back half of the year." "With no subscriber numbers, some advocates are grasping at straws to find any sign of weakness, as the company is faring much stronger than its rivals," said PP Foresight analyst Paolo Pescatore. (Reporting by Kanchana Chakravarty and Kritika Lamba in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Emma Stone was proud to say she did not break any bones while filming the absurdist comedy sci-fi film “Bugonia.” “I’ve broken a lot of bones,” she told Reuters, recalling how she felt nervous when it was time for co-star Jesse Plemons to tackle her for his role as Teddy Gatz, a conspiracy-theory-obsessed beekeeper. “He was completely safe and did an incredible job. I broke no bones,” she said. In “Bugonia,” Stone plays a powerful pharmaceutical CEO named Michelle Fuller, who is kidnapped by two conspiracy theorist cousins who are convinced she is an alien. The film is based on the 2003 South Korean film called “Save the Green Planet!” written and directed by Jang Joon-hwan, and arrives in select theaters on Friday and then across the U.S. on October 31. Plemons portrays Gatz while rising actor Aidan Delbis plays his cousin named Don. Both the real-life Delbis and his fictional character Don are on the autism spectrum, adding representation to the big-name Hollywood film distributed by Focus Features. “That character felt different and felt that he had a different sensibility and a different view of the world, and he was very sensitive,” director Yorgos Lanthimos said about the character Don. “So, I thought that a neurodivergent person would be perfect for this kind of role,” he added. For Lanthimos, Delbis’ role, which was the actor’s feature film debut, served as "the soul of the film” as well as “the voice of logic” that resonates throughout the movie. Stone also felt the story presented complex characters, particularly highlighting the tension between Fuller and Gatz. “It’s just so fun to not know whose side you're on back and forth throughout the entire story, who's in the right, who's in the wrong, and they're both kind of right, and they're both pretty wrong,” Stone said.  (Reporting by Danielle Broadway and Rollo Ross; Editing by Chris Reese)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Kanchana Chakravarty -Netflix shares fell 7% in premarket trading on Wednesday after the streaming giant's fourth-quarter revenue outlook failed to impress investors despite a strong line-up of shows, including the final season of "Stranger Things". The tepid outlook undermines the company's run of strong revenue growth in recent quarters, thanks to hit shows and movies including "KPop Demon Hunters" that have helped boost Wall Street's expectations. Netflix is set to release the final season of "Stranger Things" in November and stream two live National Football League games on Christmas. The company also missed third-quarter profit estimates due to unexpected expenses related to an ongoing dispute with Brazilian tax authorities, amounting to about $619 million, which weighed on an otherwise strong content quarter. "The Brazil tax expense creates noise, but it's not an issue… we believe the bigger focus on numbers is the lack of revenue upside in the back half," said analysts at J.P.Morgan. Netflix's revenue for the third quarter was in line with forecasts, at $11.5 billion, while for the fourth quarter, it forecast $11.96 billion, compared with Wall Street's projection of $11.90 billion. The company has ventured into advertising and video games to diversify its revenue streams, but these businesses have struggled amid shifts in leadership and strategy, along with stiff competition. However, the company's management said on a post-earnings call that it recorded its best ad sales quarter in history during the July-September period, without disclosing a number. Netflix does not reveal subscription numbers as well, making it difficult for analysts to predict its financial performance. "With no subscriber numbers, some advocates are grasping at straws to find any sign of weakness, as the company is faring much stronger than its rivals," said PP Foresight analyst Paolo Pescatore. Netflix's stock is up 40% this year, outperforming its media peers as well as the S&P 500. Its forward price-to-earnings multiple, a common benchmark for valuing companies, is 39.59, well above the average of the so-called FAANG group of stocks that includes tech heavyweights Apple and Google. (Reporting by Kanchana Chakravarty in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Emma Stone was proud to say she did not break any bones while filming the absurdist comedy sci-fi film “Bugonia.” “I’ve broken a lot of bones,” she told Reuters, recalling how she felt nervous when it was time for co-star Jesse Plemons to tackle her for his role as Teddy Gatz, a conspiracy-theory-obsessed beekeeper. “He was completely safe and did an incredible job. I broke no bones,” she said. In “Bugonia,” Stone plays a powerful pharmaceutical CEO named Michelle Fuller, who is kidnapped by two conspiracy theorist cousins who are convinced she is an alien. The film is based on the 2003 South Korean film called “Save the Green Planet!” written and directed by Jang Joon-hwan, and arrives in select theaters on Friday and then across the U.S. on October 31. Plemons portrays Gatz while rising actor Aidan Delbis plays his cousin named Don. Both the real-life Delbis and his fictional character Don are on the autism spectrum, adding representation to the big-name Hollywood film distributed by Focus Features. “That character felt different and felt that he had a different sensibility and a different view of the world, and he was very sensitive,” director Yorgos Lanthimos said about the character Don. “So, I thought that a neurodivergent person would be perfect for this kind of role,” he added. For Lanthimos, Delbis’ role, which was the actor’s feature film debut, served as "the soul of the film” as well as “the voice of logic” that resonates throughout the movie. Stone also felt the story presented complex characters, particularly highlighting the tension between Fuller and Gatz. “It’s just so fun to not know whose side you're on back and forth throughout the entire story, who's in the right, who's in the wrong, and they're both kind of right, and they're both pretty wrong,” Stone said.  (Reporting by Danielle Broadway and Rollo Ross; Editing by Chris Reese)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Emma Stone was proud to say she did not break any bones while filming the absurdist comedy sci-fi film “Bugonia.” “I’ve broken a lot of bones,” she told Reuters, recalling how she felt nervous when it was time for co-star Jesse Plemons to tackle her for his role as Teddy Gatz, a conspiracy-theory-obsessed beekeeper. “He was completely safe and did an incredible job. I broke no bones,” she said. In “Bugonia,” Stone plays a powerful pharmaceutical CEO named Michelle Fuller, who is kidnapped by two conspiracy theorist cousins who are convinced she is an alien. The film is based on the 2003 South Korean film called “Save the Green Planet!” written and directed by Jang Joon-hwan, and arrives in select theaters on Friday and then across the U.S. on October 31. Plemons portrays Gatz while rising actor Aidan Delbis plays his cousin named Don. Both the real-life Delbis and his fictional character Don are on the autism spectrum, adding representation to the big-name Hollywood film distributed by Focus Features. “That character felt different and felt that he had a different sensibility and a different view of the world, and he was very sensitive,” director Yorgos Lanthimos said about the character Don. “So, I thought that a neurodivergent person would be perfect for this kind of role,” he added. For Lanthimos, Delbis’ role, which was the actor’s feature film debut, served as "the soul of the film” as well as “the voice of logic” that resonates throughout the movie. Stone also felt the story presented complex characters, particularly highlighting the tension between Fuller and Gatz. “It’s just so fun to not know whose side you're on back and forth throughout the entire story, who's in the right, who's in the wrong, and they're both kind of right, and they're both pretty wrong,” Stone said.  (Reporting by Danielle Broadway and Rollo Ross; Editing by Chris Reese)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Emma Stone was proud to say she did not break any bones while filming the absurdist comedy sci-fi film “Bugonia.” “I’ve broken a lot of bones,” she told Reuters, recalling how she felt nervous when it was time for co-star Jesse Plemons to tackle her for his role as Teddy Gatz, a conspiracy-theory-obsessed beekeeper. “He was completely safe and did an incredible job. I broke no bones,” she said. In “Bugonia,” Stone plays a powerful pharmaceutical CEO named Michelle Fuller, who is kidnapped by two conspiracy theorist cousins who are convinced she is an alien. The film is based on the 2003 South Korean film called “Save the Green Planet!” written and directed by Jang Joon-hwan, and arrives in select theaters on Friday and then across the U.S. on October 31. Plemons portrays Gatz while rising actor Aidan Delbis plays his cousin named Don. Both the real-life Delbis and his fictional character Don are on the autism spectrum, adding representation to the big-name Hollywood film distributed by Focus Features. “That character felt different and felt that he had a different sensibility and a different view of the world, and he was very sensitive,” director Yorgos Lanthimos said about the character Don. “So, I thought that a neurodivergent person would be perfect for this kind of role,” he added. For Lanthimos, Delbis’ role, which was the actor’s feature film debut, served as "the soul of the film” as well as “the voice of logic” that resonates throughout the movie. Stone also felt the story presented complex characters, particularly highlighting the tension between Fuller and Gatz. “It’s just so fun to not know whose side you're on back and forth throughout the entire story, who's in the right, who's in the wrong, and they're both kind of right, and they're both pretty wrong,” Stone said.  (Reporting by Danielle Broadway and Rollo Ross; Editing by Chris Reese)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Lisa Richwine LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Netflix missed Wall Street's third-quarter earnings targets because of an unexpected expense from a Brazilian tax dispute while it offered a forecast a touch ahead of Wall Street projections for the rest of the year. The report failed to impress investors accustomed to fast-paced growth from the streaming video pioneer. Shares of Netflix, which had risen 39% this year ahead of the earnings release, fell 5.6% to $1,171.24 in after-hours trading on Tuesday. Netflix is seeking to expand in new areas such as advertising and video games after attracting more than 300 million customers around the world. It faces competition from YouTube, Amazon's Prime Video, Disney+ and others. The media business is facing major changes including the potential sale of industry titan Warner Bros Discovery and the rise of generative artificial intelligence with the ability to produce short videos. CNBC reported that Netflix was among the parties interested in examining Warner Bros' assets. Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos, in response to analysts' questions about possible media consolidation, said the company "can and will be choosy" about acquisition targets. He said the company has no interest in owning legacy media networks but would evaluate opportunities to buy intellectual property. "Nothing is a must-have for us to meet our goals that we have for the business," Sarandos said. Co-CEO Greg Peters said he did not believe media industry consolidation would make things more challenging for Netflix. "Watching some of our competitors potentially get bigger via (mergers and acquisitions) does not change in and of itself, at least our view, the competitive landscape," Peters said. Netflix posted net income of $2.5 billion and diluted earnings-per-share of $5.87 for July through September, a period when the animated "K-Pop Demon Hunters" became the most-watched movie in Netflix history. Analysts had expected $3.0 billion and $6.97, respectively, according to LSEG. Revenue was even with forecasts, at $11.5 billion. Netflix reported an operating margin of 28% for the third quarter. Without the Brazilian tax expense of roughly $619 million, the margin would have exceeded the company's guidance of 31.5%, it said, adding that it did not expect the matter to have a material impact on future results. PP Foresight analyst Paolo Pescatore said he believed the tax issue weighed on Netflix shares. "All things considered, this was another robust quarter, despite a blip due to an unforeseen expense," Pescatore said. For the fourth quarter, Netflix forecast revenue of $11.96 billion, compared with Wall Street's projection of $11.90 billion. It projected diluted earnings-per-share a penny ahead of analysts' targets, at $5.45. For the third quarter, Netflix said it recorded its best ad sales quarter in history but did not disclose a number. "This gives the impression that the sustained revenue growth achieved this quarter, and forecasted for next quarter, will predominantly continue to come from subscription fees," eMarketer analyst Ross Benes said. Netflix will release the final season of one of its biggest hits, "Stranger Things," in November and December and stream two live National Football League games on Christmas. "We're finishing the year with good momentum and have an exciting Q4 slate," Netflix said in its quarterly letter to shareholders. Earlier this year, Netflix stopped reporting subscriber numbers and urged investors to focus on revenue and profit. It has expanded into video games and advertising, two areas that have contributed little to revenue so far, according to analysts and investors.  (Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Richard Chang)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)