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By Danielle Broadway Jan 20 (Reuters) – Actor-director Timothy Busfield, known for roles in "The West Wing" and "Field of Dreams," was ordered to be released from jail on Tuesday as he awaits further proceedings on child sexual abuse charges after a New Mexico judge called the evidence against him "neutral." Prosecutors allege Busfield, who is married to actor Melissa Gilbert, improperly touched two young cast members – twin boys – while directing the Fox TV drama "The Cleaning Lady," which was filmed in New Mexico. Busfield, 68, turned himself in last week after prosecutors in Albuquerque filed a criminal complaint charging him with child abuse and two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor. He has professed his innocence, calling the allegations against him "lies." "As it stands today, with the limited information I have in front of me, I'll characterize the weight of the evidence against the defendant as neutral at this point," Judge David Murphy said at a court hearing on Tuesday.  The judge ordered Busfield released from custody pending further proceedings in the case. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for January 29, during which prosecutors will need to establish probable cause to proceed to a trial. According to an arrest warrant affidavit that accompanied the criminal complaint, the twin boys, now 11, reported the alleged contact occurred over a two-year period, when they were aged 7 and 8. Busfield was an executive producer of the show and began directing episodes around the end of the second season in 2022.   Deputy District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch told the court on Tuesday that a hospital doctor first contacted law enforcement in November 2024 after the boys told the physician that Busfield had engaged in behavior that could be characterized as "grooming." But she said the boys alleged acts of actual sexual abuse to a therapist in September 2025.     Defense lawyer, Christopher Dodd, countered that the twins had denied they were sexually abused by Busfield under questioning from a law enforcement officer. In the recording of the interview, which was played in court, the officer asks each of the boys if they had been "touched in private areas" by Busfield, and the boys both say, "no." The judge said later during the hearing that it's "not uncommon" for children who are alleged victims to initially deny sexual abuse. Dodd also described the boys' mother and father as "scam artists" in court, saying the parents wanted "revenge" on the director after the twins were removed from the series cast. Called as a witness by the defense, Allan Cabillo, director of photography for "The Cleaning Lady," said he never observed Busfield behaving inappropriately with the boys. He said the boys did not return for the show's final season because they had aged out of their roles. In a video posted online shortly before his surrender, Busfield denied the allegations, saying, "I did not do anything to those little boys." Busfield is known for his prime-time television roles as a White House reporter on the NBC political drama "The West Wing," which ran from 1999 to 2006, and as an ad agency executive on the 1980s ABC ensemble series "Thirtysomething." In the 1989 movie "Field of Dreams," he played the brother-in-law of Kevin Costner's lead character. In his own interview with police for the investigation in November, Busfield acknowledged he probably had physical contact with the boys on occasion, like tickling or picking them up, but in a playful manner with others present, the affidavit said. (Reporting by Danielle Broadway in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Evan Garcia; Editing by Steve Gorman and Howard Goller)

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By Hanna Rantala LONDON, Jan 20 ((Reuters)) – Jason Statham is back in action in "Shelter", but the British actor says his latest thriller is powered by his character's emotional arc.    "I haven't done anything like this. It feels very elevated in terms of the dramatic elements," Statham said, premiering the movie in London on Tuesday.    Statham plays Michael Mason, a former elite operative hiding out on a remote island in the Outer Hebrides. Accompanied only by his dog, Mason spends his days drinking, drawing and playing chess. An orphaned girl, Jesse (Bodhi Rae Breathnach), regularly brings him supplies on a rowboat, but is told to avoid contact.     When a storm breaks out during one of her deliveries, Mason rescues Jesse, setting off events that lead his past enemies on his tracks and forcing Mason to take action to protect the youngster.    The film is about "an improbable pairing" finding purpose in each other, said Statham. "It's certainly a slow burn."    That gradual crescendo helps audiences connect with the characters, said director Ric Roman Waugh, known for "Greenland" and "Angel Has Fallen".    "We're unravelling a mystery in a way that creates empathy, creates emotional bond, so that when you hit the action, you're not just watching it, you're participating, and you're rooting for your heroes," he said.    A former stuntman, Waugh wanted to place viewers "inside the action" and shoot on real locations.    "What you get is a wild ride that is authentic and grounded and gets us away from the visual effects world where nothing feels real anymore," he said. "Coming from the world of stunts, I'm trying to make you feel what I went through."    Statham, 58, has a busy year ahead. His other 2026 releases include "Mutiny" and "The Beekeeper 2" and he is about to reunite with filmmaker Guy Ritchie for their sixth feature collaboration, "Viva La Vida".    "I'm very excited about that. My main man Guy Ritchie, he started my career almost 30 years ago, so I owe him a lot. He's a mentor to me. He's a very special person in my life and I've got a lot of love for the man," said Statham, noting that shooting would start in a week but revealing no further details about the project.    "Shelter", which also stars Bill Nighy and Naomi Ackie, begins its global theatrical rollout on January 28. (Reporting by Hanna RantalaEditing by Shri Navaratnam)

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(Corrects title of Guy Ritchie's film to 'Viva La Madness', not 'Viva La Vida," in paragraph 10) By Hanna Rantala LONDON, Jan 20 ((Reuters)) – Jason Statham is back in action in "Shelter", but the British actor says his latest thriller is powered by his character's emotional arc.    "I haven't done anything like this. It feels very elevated in terms of the dramatic elements," Statham said, premiering the movie in London on Tuesday.    Statham plays Michael Mason, a former elite operative hiding out on a remote island in the Outer Hebrides. Accompanied only by his dog, Mason spends his days drinking, drawing and playing chess. An orphaned girl, Jesse (Bodhi Rae Breathnach), regularly brings him supplies on a rowboat, but is told to avoid contact.     When a storm breaks out during one of her deliveries, Mason rescues Jesse, setting off events that lead his past enemies on his tracks and forcing Mason to take action to protect the youngster.    The film is about "an improbable pairing" finding purpose in each other, said Statham. "It's certainly a slow burn."    That gradual crescendo helps audiences connect with the characters, said director Ric Roman Waugh, known for "Greenland" and "Angel Has Fallen".    "We're unravelling a mystery in a way that creates empathy, creates emotional bond, so that when you hit the action, you're not just watching it, you're participating, and you're rooting for your heroes," he said.    A former stuntman, Waugh wanted to place viewers "inside the action" and shoot on real locations.    "What you get is a wild ride that is authentic and grounded and gets us away from the visual effects world where nothing feels real anymore," he said. "Coming from the world of stunts, I'm trying to make you feel what I went through."    Statham, 58, has a busy year ahead. His other 2026 releases include "Mutiny" and "The Beekeeper 2" and he is about to reunite with filmmaker Guy Ritchie for their sixth feature collaboration, "Viva La Madness".    "I'm very excited about that. My main man Guy Ritchie, he started my career almost 30 years ago, so I owe him a lot. He's a mentor to me. He's a very special person in my life and I've got a lot of love for the man," said Statham, noting that shooting would start in a week but revealing no further details about the project.    "Shelter", which also stars Bill Nighy and Naomi Ackie, begins its global theatrical rollout on January 28. (Reporting by Hanna RantalaEditing by Shri Navaratnam)

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LOS ANGELES, Jan 20 (Reuters) – Netflix beat Wall Street's revenue and earnings estimates for its holiday quarter on Tuesday but its shares tumbled more than 4% in after-hours trading, as the streaming giant remains locked in a fierce bidding war for Warner Bros Discovery. The company reported results hours after amending its $82.7 billion merger agreement with Warner Bros, as it seeks to fend off a hostile bid from Paramount Skydance.  "Historically, Netflix has not shied away from doing what’s right for long-term growth even at the expense of near-term negative share price reaction," said Michael Ashley Schulman, chief investment officer of Running Point Capital Advisors. "That seems to be the case again." Netflix reported earnings on the same day it announced its all-cash deal for Warner Bros Discovery, a transaction that all but eclipsed its fourth-quarter results. The company reported revenue of $12.1 billion for October through December, modestly exceeding forecasts of $11.97 billion, according to analysts surveyed by LSEG. Adjusted per-share earnings came in at 56 cents, slightly above estimates of 55 cents per share. The company said its results were driven in part by membership gains. The streaming service crossed 325 million paid subscribers in the quarter, up from 300 million reported in late 2024. Nielsen reported that Netflix's monthly viewership rose 10% in December, thanks largely to the final season of hit sci-fi series "Stranger Things," which generated 15 billion viewing minutes. The service also streamed two National Football League games on Christmas Day and released a third film in the "Knives Out" murder-mystery series. Netflix offered a full-year revenue forecast of $50.7 billion to $51.7 billion for 2026 – a projection that, at the low end, fell below analysts' estimates of $50.98 billion. Its projections for the year incorporate a year-over-year doubling of advertising revenue, which Chief Financial Officer Spencer Neumann told investors would reach about $3 billion. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos said the company plans to invest in new initiatives, such as expanding live events with the addition of those taking place outside of the U.S., like the forthcoming World Baseball Classic in Japan. It also expanded into video podcasts, adding stars like Pete Davidson and Michael Irvin.     Netflix is adding operation centers in the UK and Asia to support the growth of live events outside the domestic market, and the company looks to build its ad business, said Co-CEO Greg Peters. The company is offering a wider array of advertising formats, including interactive video ads, as well as those that "mix and match creative elements to drive better business outcomes," he said. The results come on the heels of Netflix amending its merger agreement to an all-cash offer for the Warner Bros film and television studios, its extensive content library and major entertainment franchises, including "Game of Thrones," "Harry Potter" and DC Comics' superheroes like Batman and Superman. "Our revised all-cash agreement will enable an expedited timeline to a stockholder vote and provide greater financial certainty," Sarandos said in a statement accompanying Tuesday's amended bid. In its note to investors, Netflix said the Warner Bros acquisition will provide it with an even broader and higher-quality selection of movies and shows for its subscribers, while it will be able to offer more personalized, flexible subscription offers with the addition of HBO Max. The company said it obtained commitments for a $59 billion bridge loan on December 4 to support the Warner acquisition. On Monday, it increased the bridge loan commitment by $8.2 billion to support its all-cash $27.75 per share offer.  Netflix also told investors it would pause share buybacks to accumulate cash to help fund the Warner deal. It has already incurred $60 million in costs related to securing financing. "The pause in the buyback they announced is really no surprise, but if we take a step back, Netflix is coming off a couple of years where they've really held content spending more or less flat over the last few years, and that's allowed for some pretty sharp margin expansion," said John Belton, portfolio manager for Gabelli Funds, noting that investment cycles ebb and flow. "If this Warner Brothers deal closes, one of the benefits is going to be a much bigger content library, which could, in theory, mean slower, less need to invest so aggressively to grow that library over time," said Belton. (Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski and Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Zaheer Kachwala in Bengaluru; Editing by Sayantani Ghosh and Matthew Lewis)

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PARIS, Jan 20 (Reuters) – Louis Vuitton men's designer Pharrell Williams on Tuesday presented a collection of understated elegance in muted tones to kick off Paris Fashion Week.  The fall-winter show was held in a giant cube outside LVMH's Louis Vuitton Foundation, which houses artworks behind its facade designed by the late American architect Frank Gehry. Inside, models wearing classic dresses in beiges, greys and browns walked across the artificial lawn around what looked like a countryside retreat, with its spacious minimalist design of wood and glass evoking serene seclusion.  Models wore ties, long coats, double-breasted jackets and dark brown leather caps, with deep reds and light yellows providing occasional touches of colour.  A string orchestra and gospel-style dancers clapping and swaying to hip-hop beats provided the show's soundtrack. Williams, a Grammy-winning music producer who became Louis Vuitton's menswear creative director in 2023, walked out at the show's close to greet an audience that included singer John Legend, rappers Future and Skepta and France's first lady, Brigitte Macron. (Reporting by Tassilo Hummel; Editing by Jamie Freed)

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PARIS, Jan 20 (Reuters) – Louis Vuitton men's designer Pharrell Williams on Tuesday presented a collection of understated elegance in muted tones to kick off Paris Fashion Week.  The fall-winter show was held in a giant cube outside LVMH's Louis Vuitton Foundation, which houses artworks behind its facade designed by the late American architect Frank Gehry. Inside, models wearing classic dresses in beiges, greys and browns walked across the artificial lawn around what looked like a countryside retreat, with its spacious minimalist design of wood and glass evoking serene seclusion.  Models wore ties, long coats, double-breasted jackets and dark brown leather caps, with deep reds and light yellows providing occasional touches of colour.  A string orchestra and gospel-style dancers clapping and swaying to hip-hop beats provided the show's soundtrack. Williams, a Grammy-winning music producer who became Louis Vuitton's menswear creative director in 2023, walked out at the show's close to greet an audience that included singer John Legend, rappers Future and Skepta and France's first lady, Brigitte Macron. (Reporting by Tassilo Hummel; Editing by Jamie Freed)

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PARIS, Jan 20 (Reuters) – Louis Vuitton men's designer Pharrell Williams on Tuesday presented a collection of understated elegance in muted tones to kick off Paris Fashion Week.  The fall-winter show was held in a giant cube outside LVMH's Louis Vuitton Foundation, which houses artworks behind its facade designed by the late American architect Frank Gehry. Inside, models wearing classic dresses in beiges, greys and browns walked across the artificial lawn around what looked like a countryside retreat, with its spacious minimalist design of wood and glass evoking serene seclusion.  Models wore ties, long coats, double-breasted jackets and dark brown leather caps, with deep reds and light yellows providing occasional touches of colour.  A string orchestra and gospel-style dancers clapping and swaying to hip-hop beats provided the show's soundtrack. Williams, a Grammy-winning music producer who became Louis Vuitton's menswear creative director in 2023, walked out at the show's close to greet an audience that included singer John Legend, rappers Future and Skepta and France's first lady, Brigitte Macron. (Reporting by Tassilo Hummel; Editing by Jamie Freed)

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

PARIS, Jan 20 (Reuters) – Louis Vuitton men's designer Pharrell Williams on Tuesday presented a collection of understated elegance in muted tones to kick off Paris Fashion Week.  The fall-winter show was held in a giant cube outside LVMH's Louis Vuitton Foundation, which houses artworks behind its facade designed by the late American architect Frank Gehry. Inside, models wearing classic dresses in beiges, greys and browns walked across the artificial lawn around what looked like a countryside retreat, with its spacious minimalist design of wood and glass evoking serene seclusion.  Models wore ties, long coats, double-breasted jackets and dark brown leather caps, with deep reds and light yellows providing occasional touches of colour.  A string orchestra and gospel-style dancers clapping and swaying to hip-hop beats provided the show's soundtrack. Williams, a Grammy-winning music producer who became Louis Vuitton's menswear creative director in 2023, walked out at the show's close to greet an audience that included singer John Legend, rappers Future and Skepta and France's first lady, Brigitte Macron. (Reporting by Tassilo Hummel; Editing by Jamie Freed)

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LOS ANGELES, Jan 20 (Reuters) – Netflix exceeded Wall Street's revenue estimates for its holiday quarter, as it crossed 325 million subscribers, the company said on Tuesday. Revenue came in at $12.1 billion for October through December – topping forecasts of $11.97 billion for the quarter, according to analysts surveyed by LSEG. Nielsen reported that Netflix's monthly viewership rose 10% in December, thanks largely to the final season of hit sci-fi series "Stranger Things," which generated 15 billion viewing minutes. Netflix also streamed two National Football League games on Christmas Day and released a third film in the "Knives Out" murder mystery series. Investors remain focused on Netflix's $82.7 billion pursuit of Warner Bros Discovery's studio and other entertainment assets, as it seeks to fend off a hostile bid from Paramount Skydance.  Netflix amended its merger agreement to an all-cash offer for the film and television studios, its extensive content library and major entertainment franchises, including "Game of Thrones," "Harry Potter" and DC Comics' superheroes like Batman and Superman. "Our revised all-cash agreement will enable an expedited timeline to a stockholder vote and provide greater financial certainty," Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos said in a statement accompanying Tuesday's amended bid. In its note to investors, Netflix said the Warner Bros acquisition will provide it with an even broader and higher-quality selection of movies and shows for its subscribers, while it will be able to offer more personalized, flexible subscription offers with the addition of HBO Max. The company said it obtained commitments for a $59 billion bridge loan on December 4 to support the Warner acquisition. On Monday, it increased the bridge loan commitment by $8.2 billion to support its all-cash $27.75 per share offer.  In financial results, Netflix reported adjusted per-share earnings of 56 cents for the fourth quarter ended in December, slightly above estimates of 55 cents per share. Netflix forecasts continued growth in 2026, with revenue of $50.7 billion to $51.7 billion. Ad revenue is expected to roughly double, Netflix said. (Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski and Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles; Editing by Sayantani Ghosh and Matthew Lewis)

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By Dawn Chmielewski LOS ANGELES, Jan 20 (Reuters) – Netflix has switched to an all-cash offer for Warner Bros Discovery's studio and streaming assets without increasing the $82.7 billion price in a bid to shut the door on Paramount's rival efforts to snag the Hollywood giant. The new all-cash bid – at $27.75 a share – has unanimous support from the Warner Bros board, according to a Tuesday regulatory filing. Both Netflix and Paramount Skydance covet Warner Bros for its leading film and television studios, extensive content library and major franchises such as "Game of Thrones," "Harry Potter" and DC Comics' superheroes Batman and Superman. Paramount has altered its terms and engaged in an aggressive media campaign to try to convince shareholders that its bid is superior, but Warner Bros has spurned the David Ellison-led company. It declined to comment Tuesday on Netflix's all-cash offer. Warner Bros will hold a special investor meeting to vote on the Netflix deal, with the streaming pioneer saying that the meeting was expected to be held by April. "Our revised all-cash agreement will enable an expedited timeline to a stockholder vote and provide greater financial certainty," Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said in a statement. Shares of Netflix, which is slated to report quarterly earnings after the market close, were up 0.9%. Paramount shares were down 1.9%, while Warner Bros' shares down 0.5% in early trading.  Alex Fitch, portfolio manager for Harris Oakmark, the fifth largest investor in Warner Bros with about 96 million shares as of Sept 30, predicted the bidding war for Warner Bros may not be over. "This new agreement only ramps up the pressure," said Fitch. "The changes show that Netflix is serious about winning, and the accelerated shareholder vote means Paramount needs to act with urgency. Now, it is up to Paramount to provide a clearly superior offer if they want to get this done.” EARLIER CASH-AND-STOCK BID REPLACED Netflix shares have fallen almost 15% since announcing the merger on December 5, closing at $88 per share on Friday – well below the $97.91 floor price of the original bid. That drop was part of Paramount's argument that its bid was superior. The new $27.75-per-share offer from Netflix replaces its earlier cash-and-stock bid for $23.25 in cash and $4.50 in Netflix stock. "The merger consideration is a fixed cash amount to be paid by an investment-grade company, providing (Warner Bros) stockholders with certainty of value and liquidity immediately upon closing the merger," Warner Bros said.  The company's board also disclosed its valuation for Discovery Global, a planned spin-off that will contain television assets including CNN and TNT Sports and the Discovery+ streaming service.  The board has maintained that the Netflix merger deal is superior to Paramount Skydance's $30-per-share cash bid for the company because Warner Bros' investors would retain a stake in the separately traded Discovery Global. Warner Bros' advisers used three separate approaches for valuing Discovery Global. The lowest share price they arrived at was $1.33 per share, by applying a single value across the whole company. The high end of the range they determined was a price of $6.86 a share, if the spin-off became involved in a future deal. Paramount has said the cable spinoff central to the streaming giant's offer is effectively worthless. PARAMOUNT TENDER EXPIRES JAN 21 The rival bidder went to court on January 12 to expedite the disclosure of this information, so investors could evaluate the competing offers for Warner Bros. A Delaware court judge rejected the request, finding that Paramount had failed to demonstrate it would suffer irreparable harm from the alleged inadequate disclosures about Warner Bros' cable TV business. Paramount Skydance, whose tender offer expires on January 21, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. "Paramount will make another appeal to shareholders. Unless Paramount raises its bid, the appeal will be window dressing," Emarketer analyst Ross Benes said. The race is expected to come to a head at a shareholder vote later this year as Warner investors weigh the value of cable assets. Warner Bros reiterated its reasons for rejecting the Paramount bid, saying its all-cash offer of $30 a share was insufficient after factoring in the "price and numerous risks, costs and uncertainties." “Netflix’s move to go all‑cash on the Warner Bros. deal is a smart pivot at a time when its own falling share price had begun to weaken its hand," said Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst, Hargreaves Lansdown. "A cash bid strips away uncertainty and is unquestionably more appealing from Warner Bros.’ perspective, even if it does nothing to ease regulatory scrutiny." A merger with Netflix would leave the combined company with roughly $85 billion in debt, compared with $87 billion for Paramount. But Netflix is worth considerably more, with a market valuation of $402 billion, compared with $12.6 billion for Paramount. The Netflix tie-up would be less leveraged – carrying a leverage ratio of under four – than a ratio of about seven with Paramount. Netflix also agreed to allow Warner Bros to reduce the amount of indebtedness to be borne by Discovery Global by $260 million, according to the regulatory filing. Netflix also has an investment-grade credit rating, whereas Paramount's bonds are rated at junk levels by S&P and would likely come under further pressure, Warner Bros said in its filing. Winning over shareholders' approval, however, may only be the first step in what could be a long process, given lawmakers across ⁠the political spectrum have ​voiced concerns that further media consolidation could drive up prices and reduce consumer choice. The Ellisons have argued that their relationship with President Donald Trump gives them an easier regulatory path to approval.  (Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles, additional reporting by Aditya Soni and Harshita Varghese in Bengaluru, and Ross Kerber in Boston; editing by Dawn Kopecki, David Gregorio and Nick Zieminski)

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