मनोरंजन

By Lisa Richwine LOS ANGELES, May 24 (Reuters) – Baby Yoda brought crowds to movie theaters over the U.S. Memorial Day weekend, putting "Star Wars" film "The Mandalorian and Grogu" on track to collect

(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, May 24 (Reuters) – Baby Yoda brought crowds to movie theaters over the U.S. Memorial Day weekend, putting "Star Wars" film "The Mandalorian and Grogu" on track to collect

(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, May 24 (Reuters) – Baby Yoda brought crowds to movie theaters over the U.S. Memorial Day weekend, putting "Star Wars" film "The Mandalorian and Grogu" on track to collect

(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 Harshita Mary Varghese and Aditya Soni Feb 10 (Reuters) – Paramount Skydance has enhanced its Warner Bros Discovery bid by offering extra cash for each quarter the deal fails to close after this year and agreed to cover the breakup fee the HBO owner would owe Netflix if it walked away. Even though Paramount did not raise its per-share offer, the sweeteners mark the company's latest attempt to woo Warner Bros shareholders in its prolonged battle with Netflix for control of some of the world's most prized TV and film assets. The CBS parent has offered a 25-cent per share "ticking fee" that will equal to about $650 million in cash each quarter between the start of 2027 and the close of a deal with Warner Bros, Paramount said in on Tuesday. It did not raise its overall offer of $30 per share, or $108.4 billion including debt, for the whole of Warner Bros including cable assets. But Paramount would fund the $2.8 billion termination fee that Warner Bros would owe Netflix if their $82.7 billion deal for its studio and streaming assets falls through. Both Netflix and Paramount 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. Several analysts said the move signaled Paramount's confidence that the Netflix deal may fail to pass regulatory scrutiny and it would have an easier path to approval, but it may not be enough to sway investors waiting for a higher offer. "The sweetened deal is unlikely to sway WBD away from Netflix and toward Paramount. Paramount is throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something sticks," said Ross Benes, senior analyst at Emarketer. "Outside of raising its price, Paramount's best chance at stealing WBD is from outside regulators blocking Netflix." Warner Bros Discovery and Netflix did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Warner Bros shares were 2% higher, while Netflix gained 3% and Paramount was up 1.5%. 'MEANINGFUL ENHANCEMENTS' Paramount also unveiled several other measures aimed directly at addressing criticisms about its offer from the Warner Bros board. It would backstop Warner Bros' planned debt exchange, eliminating the risk of a potential $1.5 billion fee owed to bondholders and would grant WBD the same interim operating flexibility it negotiated with Netflix. The company also said it certified compliance with the U.S. Department of Justice's second request on Monday, triggering a 10-day waiting period and has already secured foreign-investment clearance in Germany. It added it is in talks with antitrust regulators in the U.S., the European Union and the UK. "We are making meaningful enhancements – backing this offer with billions of dollars, providing shareholders with certainty in value, a clear regulatory path, and protection against market volatility," Paramount CEO David Ellison said in a statement. Paramount also raised the personal guarantee from Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison to $43.3 billion and expects to fund the deal with $54 billion of debt from Bank of America, Citigroup and Apollo. UNCERTAINTY AROUND DISCOVERY GLOBAL Paramount said it is open to discussing "contractual solutions" with Warner Bros' board to address the possibility that Discovery Global's financial performance could continue to deteriorate beyond what it is projecting for its linear network business. The company argued that Netflix's offer leaves Warner Bros shareholders exposed to significant uncertainty as the amount of cash they would receive depends entirely on Discovery Global's financial condition at the time of the spinoff. Paramount estimated that if Discovery Global were spun off with leverage similar to Comcast spinning off most of its NBCUniveral cable networks to Versant, Netflix's cash consideration for the deal would fall to $23.20 per share. The David Ellison-led company extended the deadline for its tender offer to February 20, giving it more time to convince investors that its proposal for the Hollywood studio was superior to a rival bid from Netflix. However, Warner Bros has repeatedly spurned Paramount's offer. The U.S. Department of Justice is reportedly examining whether Netflix engaged in anti‑competitive practices for the deal. For Netflix, gaining access to Warner Bros' marquee assets — from "Friends" to "Batman" — could give it the cultural firepower to develop a new wave of streaming-first spinoffs, prequels and sequels. It would also make Netflix the biggest global streaming player, with roughly half a billion subscribers. 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. Netflix had last month switched to an all-cash offer for Warner Bros without increasing its $82.7 billion price. Warner Bros board has said the Netflix merger deal is superior to Paramount's bid because its investors would retain a stake in the separately traded Discovery Global. (Reporting by Harshita Mary Varghese and Aditya Soni in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Kritika Lamba; Editing by Arun Koyyur)

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

Feb 10 (Reuters) – Paramount Skydance has enhanced its $30-per-share bid for Warner Bros Discovery by offering extra cash for each quarter if the deal fails to close. The new 25-cent per share "ticking fee" will equal to about $650 million in cash each quarter between January 1, 2027, and the consummation of the Paramount deal, the company said on Tuesday. Paramount also agreed to cover the breakup fee the HBO owner would owe Netflix if it walked away from their deal. The move marks the latest chapter in the race for assets that include Warner Bros' iconic film and TV studio and its vast library of movies and television shows. Here is a timeline from the founding of Time Inc and Warner Bros to the company's latest breakup and potential sale. Date Event 1922 Time Inc was founded by Henry Luce and Briton Hadden to house Time magazine, a weekly news publication that made world affairs accessible to the average reader. The first issue of Time magazine was published in March 1923. 1923 Warner Bros was founded by brothers Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack Warner as a film studio in Hollywood. It revolutionized cinema with the introduction of synchronized sound in films. 1969  Kinney National Company, a conglomerate that later transitioned into media, buys Warner Bros-Seven Arts and later spins off its non-media businesses. 1972 HBO is founded by Charles Dolan with backing from Time. It was the first U.S. subscription-based cable network, offering uncut, commercial-free movies and live sports, pioneering premium cable television. 1990 Time Inc merges with Warner Communications in a $14 billion deal, hailed as a "marriage of content and distribution," creating Time Warner, then the largest media company in the world. 1996  Time Warner merges with Turner Broadcasting, gaining Cartoon Network, CNN, TNT and a vast classic film library. 2000  Time Warner merges with AOL, forming AOL Time Warner, the largest merger in history at the time, aiming to merge traditional and digital media. 2002 AOL Time Warner merger begins to unravel as AOL's value collapses with the launch of an SEC investigation, prompted by allegations of accounting irregularities and inflated revenue reports at AOL. 2003 CEO Steve Case resigns from AOL Time Warner. 2004 Time Warner sells Warner Music to a private equity group led by Edgar Bronfman Jr. for $2.6 billion. 2009 Time Warner fully spins off Time Warner Cable, which had already been partially separated in 2007, ending its role in cable distribution.  2009  Time Warner spins off AOL.  2013 Time Warner spins off Time, its magazine division, which includes Time, People, Fortune and Sports Illustrated, marking its formal exit from publishing. 2016 AT&T announces acquisition of Time Warner for $85 billion. 2018 AT&T completes its acquisition of Time Warner after regulator's approval, renaming it WarnerMedia. 2021 AT&T announces it would spin off WarnerMedia and merge it with Discovery Inc to create a new standalone media company. 2022 WarnerMedia and Discovery complete their merger in a $43 billion deal. June 2025 Warner Bros Discovery announces it would separate into two companies — one focusing on streaming and studios businesses, while the second will house its cable TV assets. October 2025 Warner Bros Discovery's board rejects a Paramount Skydance offer of nearly $60 billion, or $24 per share, a source familiar with the matter exclusively tells Reuters. The company says it is weighing a potential sale amid interest from several suitors. November Axios reports that Warner Bros Discovery's 2025 board wants Paramount Skydance to sweeten its bid to $30 per share, valuing the company at $74.34 billion. November Warner Bros Discovery receives preliminary 2025 buyout bids from Paramount Skydance, Comcast and Netflix — who were asked to improve their offers.  December Warner Bros Discovery receives a second 2025 round of bids, including a mostly cash offer from Netflix. December Paramount Skydance accuses Warner Bros 2025 Discovery of running an unfair sale process that favors Netflix over other bidders, CNBC reports, citing a letter sent by the newly merged media company. December Netflix is in exclusive talks 2025 to buy Warner Bros Discovery's film and television studios along with its streaming assets after offering $28 per share. December Netflix agrees to buy Warner Bros 2025 Discovery's film and TV studios and streaming division for $72 billion, or $27.75 per share. December Paramount Skydance makes a hostile bid for 2025 Warner Bros Discovery in a deal valued at $108.4 billion or $30 per share. December Warner Bros Discovery's board rejects 2025 Paramount Skydance's hostile $108.4 billion bid, saying it failed to provide adequate financing assurances. December Paramount Skydance amends its offer to buy 2025 Warner Bros Discovery to include a $40.4 billion personal guarantee from Larry Ellison. January 2026 Warner Bros Discovery rejects Paramount Skydance's amended hostile bid despite Larry Ellison's guarantee. January 2026 Paramount Skydance files lawsuit to force Warner Bros Discovery to disclose details of its deal with Netflix and plans to nominate directors to Warner Bros Discovery's board. January 2026 Netflix amends its bid to an all‑cash offer for Warner Bros Discovery's studio and streaming units and secures unanimous approval from the Warner Bros board without increasing the $82.7 billion purchase price. January 2026 Paramount Skydance extends its hostile tender offer for Warner Bros Discovery to February 20, seeking more time to win investors. U.S. senators February grill 2026 Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos at a hearing over how the company's acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery will affect competition in the entertainment industry. U.S. President Donald Trump February says 2026 he will stay out of the bidding war for Warner Bros Discovery, a reversal from his comments late last year. Paramount Skydance February revises 2026 its $30-per-share all cash offer for Warner Bros, adding a 25-cent-per-share fee for every quarter the transaction does not close beyond December 31, 2026. Paramount also said it would fund the $2.8 billion termination fee that Warner Bros owes Netflix if the deal falls through. (Reporting by Kritika Lamba, Meghana Khare, Anhata Rooprai, and Arnav Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Leroy Leo, Arun Koyyur, Shinjini Ganguli and Maju Samuel)

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

Feb 10 (Reuters) – Paramount Skydance has enhanced its $30-per-share bid for Warner Bros Discovery by offering extra cash for each quarter if the deal fails to close. The new 25-cent per share "ticking fee" will equal to about $650 million in cash each quarter between January 1, 2027, and the consummation of the Paramount deal, the company said on Tuesday. Paramount also agreed to cover the breakup fee the HBO owner would owe Netflix if it walked away from their deal. The move marks the latest chapter in the race for assets that include Warner Bros' iconic film and TV studio and its vast library of movies and television shows. Here is a timeline from the founding of Time Inc and Warner Bros to the company's latest breakup and potential sale. Date Event 1922 Time Inc was founded by Henry Luce and Briton Hadden to house Time magazine, a weekly news publication that made world affairs accessible to the average reader. The first issue of Time magazine was published in March 1923. 1923 Warner Bros was founded by brothers Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack Warner as a film studio in Hollywood. It revolutionized cinema with the introduction of synchronized sound in films. 1969  Kinney National Company, a conglomerate that later transitioned into media, buys Warner Bros-Seven Arts and later spins off its non-media businesses. 1972 HBO is founded by Charles Dolan with backing from Time. It was the first U.S. subscription-based cable network, offering uncut, commercial-free movies and live sports, pioneering premium cable television. 1990 Time Inc merges with Warner Communications in a $14 billion deal, hailed as a "marriage of content and distribution," creating Time Warner, then the largest media company in the world. 1996  Time Warner merges with Turner Broadcasting, gaining Cartoon Network, CNN, TNT and a vast classic film library. 2000  Time Warner merges with AOL, forming AOL Time Warner, the largest merger in history at the time, aiming to merge traditional and digital media. 2002 AOL Time Warner merger begins to unravel as AOL's value collapses with the launch of an SEC investigation, prompted by allegations of accounting irregularities and inflated revenue reports at AOL. 2003 CEO Steve Case resigns from AOL Time Warner. 2004 Time Warner sells Warner Music to a private equity group led by Edgar Bronfman Jr. for $2.6 billion. 2009 Time Warner fully spins off Time Warner Cable, which had already been partially separated in 2007, ending its role in cable distribution.  2009  Time Warner spins off AOL.  2013 Time Warner spins off Time, its magazine division, which includes Time, People, Fortune and Sports Illustrated, marking its formal exit from publishing. 2016 AT&T announces acquisition of Time Warner for $85 billion. 2018 AT&T completes its acquisition of Time Warner after regulator's approval, renaming it WarnerMedia. 2021 AT&T announces it would spin off WarnerMedia and merge it with Discovery Inc to create a new standalone media company. 2022 WarnerMedia and Discovery complete their merger in a $43 billion deal. June 2025 Warner Bros Discovery announces it would separate into two companies — one focusing on streaming and studios businesses, while the second will house its cable TV assets. October 2025 Warner Bros Discovery's board rejects a Paramount Skydance offer of nearly $60 billion, or $24 per share, a source familiar with the matter exclusively tells Reuters. The company says it is weighing a potential sale amid interest from several suitors. November Axios reports that Warner Bros Discovery's 2025 board wants Paramount Skydance to sweeten its bid to $30 per share, valuing the company at $74.34 billion. November Warner Bros Discovery receives preliminary 2025 buyout bids from Paramount Skydance, Comcast and Netflix — who were asked to improve their offers.  December Warner Bros Discovery receives a second 2025 round of bids, including a mostly cash offer from Netflix. December Paramount Skydance accuses Warner Bros 2025 Discovery of running an unfair sale process that favors Netflix over other bidders, CNBC reports, citing a letter sent by the newly merged media company. December Netflix is in exclusive talks 2025 to buy Warner Bros Discovery's film and television studios along with its streaming assets after offering $28 per share. December Netflix agrees to buy Warner Bros 2025 Discovery's film and TV studios and streaming division for $72 billion, or $27.75 per share. December Paramount Skydance makes a hostile bid for 2025 Warner Bros Discovery in a deal valued at $108.4 billion or $30 per share. December Warner Bros Discovery's board rejects 2025 Paramount Skydance's hostile $108.4 billion bid, saying it failed to provide adequate financing assurances. December Paramount Skydance amends its offer to buy 2025 Warner Bros Discovery to include a $40.4 billion personal guarantee from Larry Ellison. January 2026 Warner Bros Discovery rejects Paramount Skydance's amended hostile bid despite Larry Ellison's guarantee. January 2026 Paramount Skydance files lawsuit to force Warner Bros Discovery to disclose details of its deal with Netflix and plans to nominate directors to Warner Bros Discovery's board. January 2026 Netflix amends its bid to an all‑cash offer for Warner Bros Discovery's studio and streaming units and secures unanimous approval from the Warner Bros board without increasing the $82.7 billion purchase price. January 2026 Paramount Skydance extends its hostile tender offer for Warner Bros Discovery to February 20, seeking more time to win investors. U.S. senators February grill 2026 Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos at a hearing over how the company's acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery will affect competition in the entertainment industry. U.S. President Donald Trump February says 2026 he will stay out of the bidding war for Warner Bros Discovery, a reversal from his comments late last year. Paramount Skydance February revises 2026 its $30-per-share all cash offer for Warner Bros, adding a 25-cent-per-share fee for every quarter the transaction does not close beyond December 31, 2026. Paramount also said it would fund the $2.8 billion termination fee that Warner Bros owes Netflix if the deal falls through. (Reporting by Kritika Lamba, Meghana Khare, Anhata Rooprai, and Arnav Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Leroy Leo, Arun Koyyur, Shinjini Ganguli and Maju Samuel)

(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 Harshita Mary Varghese and Aditya Soni Feb 10 (Reuters) – Paramount Skydance has enhanced its Warner Bros Discovery bid by offering extra cash for each quarter the deal fails to close after this year and agreed to cover the breakup fee the HBO owner would owe Netflix if it walked away. Even though Paramount did not raise its overall per-share offer, the sweeteners mark the company's latest attempt to woo Warner Bros shareholders in its prolonged battle with Netflix for control of some of the world's most prized TV and film assets. The CBS parent has offered a 25-cent per share "ticking fee" that will equal to about $650 million in cash each quarter between the start of 2027 and the close of a deal with Warner Bros, Paramount said in on Tuesday. It did not raise its overall offer of $30 per share, or $108.4 billion, for the whole of Warner Bros including cable assets. But Paramount would fund the $2.8 billion termination fee that Warner Bros would owe Netflix if their $82.7 billion deal for its studio and streaming assets falls through. Both Netflix and Paramount 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. Several analysts said the move signaled Paramount's confidence that the Netflix deal may fail to pass regulatory scrutiny and it would have an easier path to approval, but it may not be enough to sway investors waiting for a higher offer. "The sweetened offer still appears to fall short. It does, however, raise pressure on Warner Bros and somewhat narrows the excuses," said Paolo Pescatore, analyst at PP Foresight. Warner Bros Discovery and Netflix did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Warner Bros shares were 1.6% higher, while Netflix gained 2.7% and Paramount was up 0.7%. 'MEANINGFUL ENHANCEMENTS' Paramount also unveiled several other measures aimed directly at addressing criticisms about its offer from the Warner Bros board. It would backstop Warner Bros' planned debt exchange, eliminating the risk of a potential $1.5 billion fee owed to bondholders and would grant WBD the same interim operating flexibility it negotiated with Netflix. The company also said it certified compliance with the U.S. Department of Justice's second request on Monday, triggering a 10-day waiting period and has already secured foreign-investment clearance in Germany. It added it is in talks with antitrust regulators in the U.S., the European Union and the UK. "We are making meaningful enhancements – backing this offer with billions of dollars, providing shareholders with certainty in value, a clear regulatory path, and protection against market volatility," Paramount CEO David Ellison said in a statement. The CBS owner has engaged in an aggressive media campaign to try to convince shareholders that its bid is superior, but Warner Bros has spurned Paramount. 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. Netflix had last month switched to an all-cash offer for Warner Bros without increasing its $82.7 billion price. Warner Bros board has maintained that the Netflix merger deal is superior to Paramount's bid because its investors would retain a stake in the separately traded Discovery Global. (Reporting by Harshita Mary Varghese and Aditya Soni in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Kritika Lamba; Editing by Arun Koyyur)

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

Feb 10 (Reuters) – Paramount said on Tuesday it has revised its $30 per share all-cash bid for Warner Bros Discovery with a 25 cents per share ticking fee – equivalent to about $650 million cash value each quarter – for every quarter the transaction is not closed beyond December 31, 2026. (Reporting by Harshita Mary Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)

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