“The transition will be seamless.”
Those words usually accompany an announcement of a corporate takeover and, of course, it never works out that way. And it likely won’t for Paramount 2024.
Consider history: When MGM found it had become a corporate conquest in the mid-1960s, not only was the studio staff fired but three major movies were canceled mid-production. The executive guillotine was also in action at Warner Bros a year later, when the production team was decimated by its new proprietor and even Looney Tunes was dropped.
Paramount’s “transition” in 1966 was even more lethal: Not only did the new studio owner cancel existing shoots but he also greenlit three of the biggest flops in Hollywood history – earning renown as “Bluhdorn’s Bombs” (see below).
History may not automatically repeat itself in the deal now unfolding behind the filigreed Paramount gates, but the “seamless transition” already sounds problematic:...
Those words usually accompany an announcement of a corporate takeover and, of course, it never works out that way. And it likely won’t for Paramount 2024.
Consider history: When MGM found it had become a corporate conquest in the mid-1960s, not only was the studio staff fired but three major movies were canceled mid-production. The executive guillotine was also in action at Warner Bros a year later, when the production team was decimated by its new proprietor and even Looney Tunes was dropped.
Paramount’s “transition” in 1966 was even more lethal: Not only did the new studio owner cancel existing shoots but he also greenlit three of the biggest flops in Hollywood history – earning renown as “Bluhdorn’s Bombs” (see below).
History may not automatically repeat itself in the deal now unfolding behind the filigreed Paramount gates, but the “seamless transition” already sounds problematic:...
- 5/9/2024
- by Peter Bart
- Deadline Film + TV
There’s a new, scary reality sinking in for both Paramount shareholders and its board of directors: What if nobody buys Paramount?
Not much more than a week ago it felt like a foregone conclusion that David Ellison would buy out Shari Redstone’s controlling stake in Paramount Global for a few billion bucks, and force Paramount to buy his Skydance for a few billion more bucks than that. That’s what Redstone wanted to happen at least, and what Redstone wants she’s pretty well set up to get. She has the shares to force whatever outcome she wants and stop whatever one she doesn’t.
But there was another suitor who could no longer be ignored.
Apollo Global Management, a private-equity fund, has been knocking on Redstone’s door for months. It’s pounding now. At first, Apollo offered $11 billion to buy out Paramount’s studio. No way,...
Not much more than a week ago it felt like a foregone conclusion that David Ellison would buy out Shari Redstone’s controlling stake in Paramount Global for a few billion bucks, and force Paramount to buy his Skydance for a few billion more bucks than that. That’s what Redstone wanted to happen at least, and what Redstone wants she’s pretty well set up to get. She has the shares to force whatever outcome she wants and stop whatever one she doesn’t.
But there was another suitor who could no longer be ignored.
Apollo Global Management, a private-equity fund, has been knocking on Redstone’s door for months. It’s pounding now. At first, Apollo offered $11 billion to buy out Paramount’s studio. No way,...
- 5/7/2024
- by Tony Maglio and Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav largely evaded questions about NBA talks and Paramount Global’s potential as a Wbd merger partner, but he did weigh in on the hot topic of executive pay.
“All CEOs need to be paid with alignment with shareholders,” he declared. In 2023, a year when his company’s stock price hovered around $10 a share, less than half of its value when it began trading in 2022, Zaslav collected a total payday of $49.7 million, up more than $10 million from the prior year.
The comments came during a Milken Conference panel titled “The Corporate Compass: Charting the Role of the CEO.” Zaslav appeared alongside three other chief executives: Ey’s Carmine Di Sibio, Time magazine’s Jessica Sibley and FedEx’s Raj Subramaniam.
Throughout his nearly two decades in the corner office, Zaslav has often become enmeshed in controversy over executive compensation. In 2021, the year when he spearheaded...
“All CEOs need to be paid with alignment with shareholders,” he declared. In 2023, a year when his company’s stock price hovered around $10 a share, less than half of its value when it began trading in 2022, Zaslav collected a total payday of $49.7 million, up more than $10 million from the prior year.
The comments came during a Milken Conference panel titled “The Corporate Compass: Charting the Role of the CEO.” Zaslav appeared alongside three other chief executives: Ey’s Carmine Di Sibio, Time magazine’s Jessica Sibley and FedEx’s Raj Subramaniam.
Throughout his nearly two decades in the corner office, Zaslav has often become enmeshed in controversy over executive compensation. In 2021, the year when he spearheaded...
- 5/6/2024
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Warner Bros. Discovery is staying on the sidelines of the Paramount Global acquisition drama — at least for now. That was the signal sent Monday by WB Discovery CEO David Zaslav during his appearance at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills.
Zaslav was pressed during the hourlong panel about the status of WB Discovery’s bid to extend its TV rights agreement with the NBA, and he was pointedly asked to defend the high levels of compensation for media CEOs, including himself. Zaslav came in for criticism last week when his 2023 comp package of about $49 million was disclosed after a year in which Wbd’s stock price sank by double digits.
“I think all CEOs need to be paid with alignment with shareholders,” Zaslav said. “And the majority of compensation should be aligned with the performance of the stock. And if the stock does well, then the CEO should...
Zaslav was pressed during the hourlong panel about the status of WB Discovery’s bid to extend its TV rights agreement with the NBA, and he was pointedly asked to defend the high levels of compensation for media CEOs, including himself. Zaslav came in for criticism last week when his 2023 comp package of about $49 million was disclosed after a year in which Wbd’s stock price sank by double digits.
“I think all CEOs need to be paid with alignment with shareholders,” Zaslav said. “And the majority of compensation should be aligned with the performance of the stock. And if the stock does well, then the CEO should...
- 5/6/2024
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Updated with Paramount’s board decision to begin new negotiations: A special committee of the Paramount Global board decided at a meeting yesterday to begin talking with Sony and Apollo following the expiration of a month-long negotiating window with Skydance on Friday night.
The committee met over the weekend to consider its approach to the preliminary $26 billion cash bid, including the assumption of debt, made jointly by the entertainment giant and global private equity film.
But the David Ellison studio is still in the mix as Paramount seeks to continue those talks – just non-exclusive, obviously, Deadline has learned.
That’s a deal that won’t have any regulatory issues in closing, and is the one that Par’s controlling shareholder Shari Restone prefers.
Paramount shareholders hate the Skydance deal, just as much of Hollywood detests the idea of Paramount and Sony merging – a combination that would need to pass regulatory scrutiny.
The committee met over the weekend to consider its approach to the preliminary $26 billion cash bid, including the assumption of debt, made jointly by the entertainment giant and global private equity film.
But the David Ellison studio is still in the mix as Paramount seeks to continue those talks – just non-exclusive, obviously, Deadline has learned.
That’s a deal that won’t have any regulatory issues in closing, and is the one that Par’s controlling shareholder Shari Restone prefers.
Paramount shareholders hate the Skydance deal, just as much of Hollywood detests the idea of Paramount and Sony merging – a combination that would need to pass regulatory scrutiny.
- 5/5/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
What now?
The Skydance Media deal for National Amusements appears to be dead, with the company declining to extend its exclusive negotiating window, and sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that controlling shareholder Shari Redstone is cool on the $26 billion offer from Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management — a deal that would lead to the breakup of the empire her father built. While it is possible that Paramount’s independent board committee believes that regulatory concerns presented by the Apollo-Sony offer can be overlooked and recommends that deal, it looks like an increasingly challenged proposition.
For the foreseeable future, it appears, the company is in the hands of the three-man committee made up of CBS chief George Cheeks, Paramount Pictures’ Brian Robbins and Chris McCarthy, head of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks. Paramount stock dropped 7 percent to $12.89 at the close in the wake of the news.
The Skydance Media deal for National Amusements appears to be dead, with the company declining to extend its exclusive negotiating window, and sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that controlling shareholder Shari Redstone is cool on the $26 billion offer from Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management — a deal that would lead to the breakup of the empire her father built. While it is possible that Paramount’s independent board committee believes that regulatory concerns presented by the Apollo-Sony offer can be overlooked and recommends that deal, it looks like an increasingly challenged proposition.
For the foreseeable future, it appears, the company is in the hands of the three-man committee made up of CBS chief George Cheeks, Paramount Pictures’ Brian Robbins and Chris McCarthy, head of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks. Paramount stock dropped 7 percent to $12.89 at the close in the wake of the news.
- 5/4/2024
- by Kim Masters and Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The three Paramount Global executives installed to run the company after Bob Bakish was removed as CEO sought to reassure employees that they have a long-term strategy.
On Monday, Paramount Global said Bakish was stepping down as CEO and leaving the board. In his place, the company established an “Office of the CEO” committee led by three divisional heads: George Cheeks, president and CEO of CBS; Chris McCarthy, president and CEO, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks; and Brian Robbins, president and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon.
The shake-up added further fuel to the uncertainty about the media conglomerate’s future. Bakish’s exit came as the Paramount Global board and controlling shareholder Shari Redstone were working to close a deal to merge Paramount with David Ellison’s Skydance Media.
The three new heads of Paramount Global’s Office of the CEO sent a memo to staff after the news was announced.
On Monday, Paramount Global said Bakish was stepping down as CEO and leaving the board. In his place, the company established an “Office of the CEO” committee led by three divisional heads: George Cheeks, president and CEO of CBS; Chris McCarthy, president and CEO, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks; and Brian Robbins, president and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon.
The shake-up added further fuel to the uncertainty about the media conglomerate’s future. Bakish’s exit came as the Paramount Global board and controlling shareholder Shari Redstone were working to close a deal to merge Paramount with David Ellison’s Skydance Media.
The three new heads of Paramount Global’s Office of the CEO sent a memo to staff after the news was announced.
- 4/29/2024
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
After trying to reassure Wall Street with their brief opening remarks at the Paramount Global earnings call, the trio of executives named to the newly formed Office of the CEO looked to do the same with the company’s employees rattled by the sudden ouster of longtime CEO Bob Bakish amid sale negotiations with Skydance.
In a joint memo Monday afternoon, George Cheeks, President and CEO of CBS; Chris McCarthy, President and CEO, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks; and Brian Robbins, President and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon; addressed staffers in their new roles as Bakish’s successors.
It followed a company email by Shari Redstone, Chair of Paramount’s Board of Directors, who announced the creation of the Office of the CEO comprised of Cheeks, McCarthy and Robbins.
“As a team they bring to bear incredible knowledge and understanding of our business and will bring...
In a joint memo Monday afternoon, George Cheeks, President and CEO of CBS; Chris McCarthy, President and CEO, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks; and Brian Robbins, President and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon; addressed staffers in their new roles as Bakish’s successors.
It followed a company email by Shari Redstone, Chair of Paramount’s Board of Directors, who announced the creation of the Office of the CEO comprised of Cheeks, McCarthy and Robbins.
“As a team they bring to bear incredible knowledge and understanding of our business and will bring...
- 4/29/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
In a memo to employees Monday, Chris McCarthy, George Cheeks and Brian Robbins — who are together running Paramount after the ouster of CEO Bob Bakish — thanked Bakish for his tenure at the company, while signaling a new strategy ahead.
Paramount announced Bakish was out at the company Monday, just ahead of releasing first-quarter earnings, with McCarthy, Cheeks and Robbins making up the “Office of the CEO” upon his ouster. The three executives will work with the Paramount board and CFO Naveen Chopra.
“We’d like to thank Shari and the Board for putting their trust in us. This new structure will allow us to continue leveraging the power of the entire company. Ours is a partnership built on respect, camaraderie and, most importantly, a shared love of Paramount Global, its employees and our world-class content,” the memo reads.
The company did not take any questions during the earnings call Monday,...
Paramount announced Bakish was out at the company Monday, just ahead of releasing first-quarter earnings, with McCarthy, Cheeks and Robbins making up the “Office of the CEO” upon his ouster. The three executives will work with the Paramount board and CFO Naveen Chopra.
“We’d like to thank Shari and the Board for putting their trust in us. This new structure will allow us to continue leveraging the power of the entire company. Ours is a partnership built on respect, camaraderie and, most importantly, a shared love of Paramount Global, its employees and our world-class content,” the memo reads.
The company did not take any questions during the earnings call Monday,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Updated with details of revised Skydance offer: Deadline has learned that Skydance’s offer for Paramount, said to be its last and final, includes a sweetened $3 billion cash in injection — up by at least $1 billion contemplated previously. That’s key as a priority is Paramount holding enough cash on its balance sheet for an investment grade status with big ratings agencies.
The deal also includes a premium sweetener for a percentage of non-voting Class B shares, although details of that aren’t clear. Shari Redstone would take an unspecified haircut compared with the initial deal terms, below. Paramount’s all stock acquisition of Skydance, planned as a second step in the transaction, wouldn’t change, with a value remaining at about $5 billion.
It’s not clear what happens to the few other Class A shareholders beyond Redstone, but most, like Mario Gabelli, also hold B shares. Class A share have...
The deal also includes a premium sweetener for a percentage of non-voting Class B shares, although details of that aren’t clear. Shari Redstone would take an unspecified haircut compared with the initial deal terms, below. Paramount’s all stock acquisition of Skydance, planned as a second step in the transaction, wouldn’t change, with a value remaining at about $5 billion.
It’s not clear what happens to the few other Class A shareholders beyond Redstone, but most, like Mario Gabelli, also hold B shares. Class A share have...
- 4/29/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Paramount Global shares jumped 13% Friday as investors cheered news that Sony Pictures Entertainment is talking with Apollo Global Management about joining Apollo’s bid for Paramount.
The beleaguered stock ended the day at $12.44 after registering more than twice its normal trading volume. Shares reached their highest point since February, offering fresh evidence that many investors appear to be gravitating toward the Apollo/Sony scenario, largely for structural reasons. Importantly, even if the two entities joined forces, they are not yet officially in the arena. For the next two weeks, David Ellison’s Skydance Media, backed by RedBird Capital and other investors, is in an exclusive negotiating window with Paramount’s controlling shareholder, National Amusements.
While Skydance appeals to many media industry vets given Ellison’s strong track record and enthusiasm for keeping Paramount Pictures intact, the deal it is pursuing has inherent strings attached. National Amusements Inc., which is run by Shari Redstone,...
The beleaguered stock ended the day at $12.44 after registering more than twice its normal trading volume. Shares reached their highest point since February, offering fresh evidence that many investors appear to be gravitating toward the Apollo/Sony scenario, largely for structural reasons. Importantly, even if the two entities joined forces, they are not yet officially in the arena. For the next two weeks, David Ellison’s Skydance Media, backed by RedBird Capital and other investors, is in an exclusive negotiating window with Paramount’s controlling shareholder, National Amusements.
While Skydance appeals to many media industry vets given Ellison’s strong track record and enthusiasm for keeping Paramount Pictures intact, the deal it is pursuing has inherent strings attached. National Amusements Inc., which is run by Shari Redstone,...
- 4/19/2024
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Paramount's Second-Largest Shareholder Would Rather See Company Go Unsold Than Approve Skydance Deal
Speaking with the New York Post last week, Wall Street mogul Mario Gabelli said there was “no question” he’d prefer no deal to the Skydance offer.
There aren’t many Paramount shareholders beyond the controlling shareholder Shari Redstone who are enthusiastic about the company’s decision to enter into exclusive negotiations with David Ellison of Skydance Media regarding a merger. A report from the New York Post indicates that Paramount’s second-largest shareholder Mario Gabelli is also against the deal, and in fact would rather Paramount remain unsold than see it be merged or acquired by some other company.
Gabelli said there was “no question I’d rather see no sale” when queried by the Post. His plan is to follow Paramount CEO Bob Bakish’s guidance on keeping the company going, as well as to sell its cable channels to Byron Allen. Allen has already registered a bid for Paramount Global,...
There aren’t many Paramount shareholders beyond the controlling shareholder Shari Redstone who are enthusiastic about the company’s decision to enter into exclusive negotiations with David Ellison of Skydance Media regarding a merger. A report from the New York Post indicates that Paramount’s second-largest shareholder Mario Gabelli is also against the deal, and in fact would rather Paramount remain unsold than see it be merged or acquired by some other company.
Gabelli said there was “no question I’d rather see no sale” when queried by the Post. His plan is to follow Paramount CEO Bob Bakish’s guidance on keeping the company going, as well as to sell its cable channels to Byron Allen. Allen has already registered a bid for Paramount Global,...
- 4/15/2024
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
Paramount Global and its parent company are moving closer to an agreement with Skydance Media for an exclusive window for acquisition negotiations as Shari Redstone and David Ellison inch toward a deal to bring their companies together in a three-way transaction.
The New York Times on Tuesday reported on the rumors that have been swirling around Hollywood for the past few days. Representatives for Redstone and National Amusements and Skydance declined to comment. A source said the sides have discussed establishing 30-day window for exclusive talks in an effort to come to a decision one way or another after months of discussions.
Related Content: What’s Next for Paramount Global? Shari’s Preferred Path Emerges
The path forward for Paramount appears to be slowly coming into focus around a complicated deal that would call for Skydance to acquire National Amusements, which is privately held and controlled by Redstone. The enlarged...
The New York Times on Tuesday reported on the rumors that have been swirling around Hollywood for the past few days. Representatives for Redstone and National Amusements and Skydance declined to comment. A source said the sides have discussed establishing 30-day window for exclusive talks in an effort to come to a decision one way or another after months of discussions.
Related Content: What’s Next for Paramount Global? Shari’s Preferred Path Emerges
The path forward for Paramount appears to be slowly coming into focus around a complicated deal that would call for Skydance to acquire National Amusements, which is privately held and controlled by Redstone. The enlarged...
- 4/3/2024
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Shares of Paramount Global popped in afternoon trade on a report that Apollo Global has made an $11 billion bid for the company’s film and TV studio. The private equity giant has been in and out of the mix of suitors, which also include David Ellison’s Skydance Media and Byron Allen.
The stock heading into market close is up over 11% at $12.48 in heavier than usual volume. That’s still half of where it was a year ago as the company battles streaming losses and high debt. It’s been a takeover target for months now without any deal.
The WSJ cited people familiar with the situation saying the board is reviewing the Apollo offer. Deadline has heard that Ellison has fielded a bid for the whole company but no details. There’s been speculation out there by some industry sources that Larry Ellison would never back a money-losing proposition such as Paramount.
The stock heading into market close is up over 11% at $12.48 in heavier than usual volume. That’s still half of where it was a year ago as the company battles streaming losses and high debt. It’s been a takeover target for months now without any deal.
The WSJ cited people familiar with the situation saying the board is reviewing the Apollo offer. Deadline has heard that Ellison has fielded a bid for the whole company but no details. There’s been speculation out there by some industry sources that Larry Ellison would never back a money-losing proposition such as Paramount.
- 3/20/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith and Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Paramount was a no-show on Oscars Sunday with just two nominations (sound and visual effects for “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning”) and no wins, but for president and CEO Bob Bakish, Monday is no better.
This morning, media analyst Rich Greenfield of LightShed Partners published a blistering open letter to Paramount controller Shari Redstone: “Dear Shari: Why You Must Fire Bob Bakish to Save Paramount.” Here we go.
Greenfield said Bakish was the man for the job… in 2016, when Viacom and CBS were still split (and Les Moonves had the top job at CBS a job). But with the creation of Paramount Global (fka ViacomCBS), Bakish made the “critical mistake” — Greenfield’s words — of getting wrapped up in the streaming wars.
The mistake, according to Greenfield, was creating Paramount+. By attempting to reinvent niche service CBS All Access as a Netflix competitor, Paramount+ may have created a “mountain of entertainment.
This morning, media analyst Rich Greenfield of LightShed Partners published a blistering open letter to Paramount controller Shari Redstone: “Dear Shari: Why You Must Fire Bob Bakish to Save Paramount.” Here we go.
Greenfield said Bakish was the man for the job… in 2016, when Viacom and CBS were still split (and Les Moonves had the top job at CBS a job). But with the creation of Paramount Global (fka ViacomCBS), Bakish made the “critical mistake” — Greenfield’s words — of getting wrapped up in the streaming wars.
The mistake, according to Greenfield, was creating Paramount+. By attempting to reinvent niche service CBS All Access as a Netflix competitor, Paramount+ may have created a “mountain of entertainment.
- 3/12/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
Exclusive: We are hearing that Apollo Global Management, which was mulling an offer for National Amusements, the Redstone family company that controls Paramount Global, is no longer considering the move.
Reps for Apollo Global Management, Paramount Global and National Amusements declined comment Monday.
While the situation remains fluid and it may be too early to count Apollo out of the process entirely, sources tell us that the private equity company co-founded by Marc Rowan, Josh Harris and Leon Black is skittish in the wake of the FCC blowing up hedge fund Standard General’s attempted $8.6 billion bid for the Tegna station group — a deal Apollo Global Management was set to provide funding toward. The deal was inked in 2022 and fell apart in May 2023.
Apollo is also an investor in Dune movie studio Legendary Entertainment.
“Capital is not the issue, approval is the commodity; very few people can get FCC approval,...
Reps for Apollo Global Management, Paramount Global and National Amusements declined comment Monday.
While the situation remains fluid and it may be too early to count Apollo out of the process entirely, sources tell us that the private equity company co-founded by Marc Rowan, Josh Harris and Leon Black is skittish in the wake of the FCC blowing up hedge fund Standard General’s attempted $8.6 billion bid for the Tegna station group — a deal Apollo Global Management was set to provide funding toward. The deal was inked in 2022 and fell apart in May 2023.
Apollo is also an investor in Dune movie studio Legendary Entertainment.
“Capital is not the issue, approval is the commodity; very few people can get FCC approval,...
- 2/12/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro and Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Editor’s note: If you have watched the Netflix docu The Greatest Night in Pop, you saw the 40 biggest singers of the ’80s break into a spontaneous chorus of “Day-o” in tribute to Harry Belafonte for organizing the “We Are the World” global fundraiser that raised over $60 million to save starving, famine-stricken African families. So you understand why the late singer/activist/actor’s daughters were disappointed when an In Memoriam segment on the Grammys flashed his photo but omitted him from a special section honoring the giants. Here, daughter Shari reminds why her father meant so much to the world, and music.
Related: Harry Belafonte Dies: Actor, Singer & Civil Rights Icon Was 96
Being a woman of color and having been in the entertainment business literally All of my life, I’ve witnessed and have been exposed to many instances of what one would call “unjustified treatment.” But, don’t...
Related: Harry Belafonte Dies: Actor, Singer & Civil Rights Icon Was 96
Being a woman of color and having been in the entertainment business literally All of my life, I’ve witnessed and have been exposed to many instances of what one would call “unjustified treatment.” But, don’t...
- 2/9/2024
- by Shari Belafonte
- Deadline Film + TV
Harry Belafonte’s Daughters Criticize Grammys for Not Doing More to Recognize Singer During Ceremony
Harry Belafonte’s daughters, Shari and Gina, are calling out the Grammys for not doing more to recognize the late singer during the 2024 awards ceremony Sunday.
During the In Memoriam segment, Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Fantasia Barrino and Jon Batiste took to the stage to perform emotional tributes for Tina Turner, Tony Bennett, Sinead O’Connor, Clarence Avant and more.
While they performed, images of other artists the music industry lost last year were displayed onscreen behind them, including Belafonte, while Batiste sang “The Best Is Yet to Come.”
But Shari and Gina feel the Grammys should have given the singer a special tribute, similar to the ones for Turner, Bennett, O’Connor and Avant.
“While the folks who had a bit more of a #shoutout on the #GrammyAwards this year were absolutely deserving of accolades, I’m a bit appalled that our father was not included in a #SpecialTribute and...
During the In Memoriam segment, Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Fantasia Barrino and Jon Batiste took to the stage to perform emotional tributes for Tina Turner, Tony Bennett, Sinead O’Connor, Clarence Avant and more.
While they performed, images of other artists the music industry lost last year were displayed onscreen behind them, including Belafonte, while Batiste sang “The Best Is Yet to Come.”
But Shari and Gina feel the Grammys should have given the singer a special tribute, similar to the ones for Turner, Bennett, O’Connor and Avant.
“While the folks who had a bit more of a #shoutout on the #GrammyAwards this year were absolutely deserving of accolades, I’m a bit appalled that our father was not included in a #SpecialTribute and...
- 2/8/2024
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Paramount Global Nears Crossroads After Latest Acquisition Offer: What’s Shari Redstone’s Next Move?
News of Byron Allen’s $30 billion offer (including debt) for Paramount Global has restarted Hollywood’s most active parlor game: Whither Paramount and assets like its 112-year-old film studio and iconic Melrose lot?
Paramount is taking Allen’s bid seriously enough, as Deadline understands it, to form a special board committee to evaluate any potential bids. Shari Redstone, non-executive chair of the company and head of its controlling shareholder National Amusements, is not a member of the special committee, a person familiar with the body told Deadline. The purpose of excluding her is to provide an extra layer of scrutiny for all potential transactions. David Ellison’s Skydance Media, RedBird Capital and Apollo Global Management have expressed interest in the Paramount assets, and Paramount CEO Bob Bakish discussed a potential combination with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav last December.
Byron Allen
Conversations with Wall Street and industry veterans on...
Paramount is taking Allen’s bid seriously enough, as Deadline understands it, to form a special board committee to evaluate any potential bids. Shari Redstone, non-executive chair of the company and head of its controlling shareholder National Amusements, is not a member of the special committee, a person familiar with the body told Deadline. The purpose of excluding her is to provide an extra layer of scrutiny for all potential transactions. David Ellison’s Skydance Media, RedBird Capital and Apollo Global Management have expressed interest in the Paramount assets, and Paramount CEO Bob Bakish discussed a potential combination with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav last December.
Byron Allen
Conversations with Wall Street and industry veterans on...
- 2/1/2024
- by Dade Hayes and Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
The Offer is the name of a series on Paramount+. Now, it could be the logline for Paramount Global.
National Amusements, Inc., the Shari Redstone-led company that owns the majority of voting shares in Paramount Global, is reportedly fielding interest from another entity mulling an acquisition offer. Apollo Global Management is among the wealthy individuals and companies that have contacted the investment bank advising Nai, Bdt & Msd Partners, according to Bloomberg.
Nai owns a portfolio of movie theaters as well as nearly 80% of voting shares. As with recently discussed scenarios involving Skydance Media and RedBird Capital, the Apollo deal would be a route to gain control of Paramount, though the voting shares owned by Nai do not represent a majority of the economic value of the company, only most of its voting class of shares.
Redstone, who spent years gaining control of Viacom and CBS, withstanding legal challenges and objections...
National Amusements, Inc., the Shari Redstone-led company that owns the majority of voting shares in Paramount Global, is reportedly fielding interest from another entity mulling an acquisition offer. Apollo Global Management is among the wealthy individuals and companies that have contacted the investment bank advising Nai, Bdt & Msd Partners, according to Bloomberg.
Nai owns a portfolio of movie theaters as well as nearly 80% of voting shares. As with recently discussed scenarios involving Skydance Media and RedBird Capital, the Apollo deal would be a route to gain control of Paramount, though the voting shares owned by Nai do not represent a majority of the economic value of the company, only most of its voting class of shares.
Redstone, who spent years gaining control of Viacom and CBS, withstanding legal challenges and objections...
- 1/19/2024
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
The most consequential entertainment business story of 2024 was kickstarted by two pro operators having a pre-Christmas meal. The Dec. 19 lunch between Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish, held at Paramount’s New York office, instantly ignited a firestorm of “what ifs,” as the future of the storied studio was suddenly in question.
Is Paramount for sale? Or is controlling shareholder National Amusements? Or both? But the future of Paramount — and for that matter Wbd — may be defined by a cast of characters straight out of central casting: A trio of scions forging their own path in the footsteps of their mogul fathers (Shari Redstone, David Ellison, Brian Roberts); a pair of self-made billionaire investors who find their fortunes tied up in the debt-laden companies at the heart of the deal (John Malone, Warren Buffett); and a handful of professional executives seeking moguldom — or at...
Is Paramount for sale? Or is controlling shareholder National Amusements? Or both? But the future of Paramount — and for that matter Wbd — may be defined by a cast of characters straight out of central casting: A trio of scions forging their own path in the footsteps of their mogul fathers (Shari Redstone, David Ellison, Brian Roberts); a pair of self-made billionaire investors who find their fortunes tied up in the debt-laden companies at the heart of the deal (John Malone, Warren Buffett); and a handful of professional executives seeking moguldom — or at...
- 1/4/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Like clockwork, another year has come and gone. The events of these past 12 months were anything but predictable, but we tried anyway — and we did Ok!
It’s time for IndieWire’s business team to dust off our crystal balls, put on our writing glasses, and go for broke in 2024. Below are our nine industry predictions for the new year, in varying degrees of boldness. Feel free to tell us where we’re wrong!
Bundle Up!
We’ll see unprecedented streaming consolidation in 2024 — the kind that does not require regulatory approval. Next year will instead be the year of the streaming bundle.
This is, admittedly, a bit of a layup of a prediction considering Verizon already planted its flag earlier this month with a $10 Netflix and Max bundle. Apple TV+ and Paramount+ reportedly flirted with a similar idea, though they ultimately didn’t consummate.
What comes next? More pairs of twos and threes,...
It’s time for IndieWire’s business team to dust off our crystal balls, put on our writing glasses, and go for broke in 2024. Below are our nine industry predictions for the new year, in varying degrees of boldness. Feel free to tell us where we’re wrong!
Bundle Up!
We’ll see unprecedented streaming consolidation in 2024 — the kind that does not require regulatory approval. Next year will instead be the year of the streaming bundle.
This is, admittedly, a bit of a layup of a prediction considering Verizon already planted its flag earlier this month with a $10 Netflix and Max bundle. Apple TV+ and Paramount+ reportedly flirted with a similar idea, though they ultimately didn’t consummate.
What comes next? More pairs of twos and threes,...
- 12/23/2023
- by Tony Maglio and Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global are in talks for a potential merger, IndieWire has confirmed. It’s the very early days — especially considering Wbd is in an M&a timeout until April.
As Axios first reported, Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav journeyed to the Paramount offices in Times Square for an hours-long meeting on Tuesday with Paramount CEO Bob Bakish. Rumor has it they were not there to reminisce about the “Trl” days.
He and Bakish discussed potential synergies between their two companies, including how Max — itself the combination of Discovery+ and HBO Max — could complement Paramount+ (now with Showtime!). There are also possibilities within each company’s news, sports, and kids programming — plus, HBO and Showtime could stop competing with each other and join forces. (Not that it’s been much of a competition lately.)
Zaslav has also spoken with Paramount Global’s controlling shareholder Shari Redstone about a potential deal.
As Axios first reported, Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav journeyed to the Paramount offices in Times Square for an hours-long meeting on Tuesday with Paramount CEO Bob Bakish. Rumor has it they were not there to reminisce about the “Trl” days.
He and Bakish discussed potential synergies between their two companies, including how Max — itself the combination of Discovery+ and HBO Max — could complement Paramount+ (now with Showtime!). There are also possibilities within each company’s news, sports, and kids programming — plus, HBO and Showtime could stop competing with each other and join forces. (Not that it’s been much of a competition lately.)
Zaslav has also spoken with Paramount Global’s controlling shareholder Shari Redstone about a potential deal.
- 12/20/2023
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
As 2023 began, Covid was waning, Top Gun: Maverick was a billion-dollar Oscar Best Picture nominee, and Shari Redstone’s place in the media firmament felt secure after a years-long quest to reunite CBS and Viacom.
At year’s end, the narrative has dramatically changed.
Paramount Global, which Redstone leads as chair and CEO of its controlling shareholder, National Amusements, has hit a prolonged rough patch, and speculation is rampant about its future as a stand-alone company. Film and TV production has been hampered by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the company’s streaming operation is bleeding cash, and an advertising slowdown is squeezing cable networks already jeopardized by cord-cutting. What’s more, old questions are resurfacing about whether the company has enough scale to compete, with those doubts reflected in the company’s lagging stock price. As of Friday’s close, the share price of $16.27 gave Paramount a market value of about $10.2 billion.
At year’s end, the narrative has dramatically changed.
Paramount Global, which Redstone leads as chair and CEO of its controlling shareholder, National Amusements, has hit a prolonged rough patch, and speculation is rampant about its future as a stand-alone company. Film and TV production has been hampered by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the company’s streaming operation is bleeding cash, and an advertising slowdown is squeezing cable networks already jeopardized by cord-cutting. What’s more, old questions are resurfacing about whether the company has enough scale to compete, with those doubts reflected in the company’s lagging stock price. As of Friday’s close, the share price of $16.27 gave Paramount a market value of about $10.2 billion.
- 12/15/2023
- by Dade Hayes and Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
The entertainment company that everyone in Hollywood is talking about is based in a nondescript three-story office building in the Boston suburb of Norwood, Massachusetts.
Nestled between an indoor ice-skating rink and a Home Depot distribution center is the headquarters of National Amusements, Inc., a movie theater operator with 22 cinemas in the U.S., almost all in the New York to Boston corridor.
But it’s not the movie theaters that have investment bankers, media moguls and opportunistic private equity firms salivating. National Amusements, the pride and joy of the media titan Sumner Redstone, and now controlled by his daughter Shari, serves as a holding company for the family’s most precious asset: voting control of Paramount Global, the owner of CBS, Paramount+, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, and other media brands.
Paramount — or at least control of Paramount via National Amusements — now appears to be on the block, with Redstone reportedly...
Nestled between an indoor ice-skating rink and a Home Depot distribution center is the headquarters of National Amusements, Inc., a movie theater operator with 22 cinemas in the U.S., almost all in the New York to Boston corridor.
But it’s not the movie theaters that have investment bankers, media moguls and opportunistic private equity firms salivating. National Amusements, the pride and joy of the media titan Sumner Redstone, and now controlled by his daughter Shari, serves as a holding company for the family’s most precious asset: voting control of Paramount Global, the owner of CBS, Paramount+, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, and other media brands.
Paramount — or at least control of Paramount via National Amusements — now appears to be on the block, with Redstone reportedly...
- 12/15/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Imagine: You want to buy a car. However, the dealer tells you that car isn’t for sale. Instead, they offer another option: You can’t own the car, but you can buy the dealership — and with it comes the right to control all the cars on the lot.
Such is the unusual scenario presented to would-be buyers of Paramount Studios. It’s among the many assets of Paramount Global, which include CBS, Paramount+, and cable channels like BET and Nickelodeon. The studio can’t be bought on its own — and buying Paramount Global as a unit would cost in the neighborhood of $30 billion.
However, might you be interested in buying National Amusements, Inc. (Nai), the Redstone Family-owned movie-theater chain that also holds about 77 percent of Paramount Global’s voting shares? It’s available for a few billion bucks.
Nai president Shari Redstone likely knows she should have gotten out...
Such is the unusual scenario presented to would-be buyers of Paramount Studios. It’s among the many assets of Paramount Global, which include CBS, Paramount+, and cable channels like BET and Nickelodeon. The studio can’t be bought on its own — and buying Paramount Global as a unit would cost in the neighborhood of $30 billion.
However, might you be interested in buying National Amusements, Inc. (Nai), the Redstone Family-owned movie-theater chain that also holds about 77 percent of Paramount Global’s voting shares? It’s available for a few billion bucks.
Nai president Shari Redstone likely knows she should have gotten out...
- 12/12/2023
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
The frightful weather outside has nothing on the family gathering in Secret Santa. Adam Marcus, who is best known for unleashing the gonzo Friday the 13th entry Jason Goes to Hell upon the world, truly outdid himself with this over-the-top Christmas horror movie. Which is saying a lot considering the events of Jason Voorhees’ sole ‘90s outing. After some time away from the genre, though, Marcus returned in 2018 with a comedy as black as coal. Christmas cynics will naturally be drawn to the promise of a family going off the deep end during the holidays. However, this seasonal shocker may prove to be too much even for the biggest of scrooges.
For many folks, Christmas is the most joyous time of the year. For April Pope (A. Leslie Kies) and other members of her family, it’s the most dreadful. The director’s own internal struggle with Christmas is channeled...
For many folks, Christmas is the most joyous time of the year. For April Pope (A. Leslie Kies) and other members of her family, it’s the most dreadful. The director’s own internal struggle with Christmas is channeled...
- 11/13/2023
- by Paul Lê
- bloody-disgusting.com
Doc NYC is known for its 15-feature film shortlist and for its annual Visionaries Tribute luncheon, which attracts the who’s who of the docu community from both coasts.
But, while the festival, which begins on Nov. 8, is a key campaign stop for filmmakers hoping to garner a spot on the Oscar documentary shortlist, it has also become a place where more documentarians are choosing to premiere their work.
This year 33 films out of the 253 featured on the main slate will have their world premieres at the fest.
Many of those films debuting at Doc NYC are profile docus including: “June,” a profile of June Carter Cash; “The Cowboy and the Queen,” about Queen Elizabeth II’s friendship with a California horse trainer; “Candace Parker: Unapologetic,” the story of the WNBA superstar; “Ashima,” about Ashima Shirashi, the Japanese-American rock climber who set world records in her teens; “Shari & Lamb Chop,...
But, while the festival, which begins on Nov. 8, is a key campaign stop for filmmakers hoping to garner a spot on the Oscar documentary shortlist, it has also become a place where more documentarians are choosing to premiere their work.
This year 33 films out of the 253 featured on the main slate will have their world premieres at the fest.
Many of those films debuting at Doc NYC are profile docus including: “June,” a profile of June Carter Cash; “The Cowboy and the Queen,” about Queen Elizabeth II’s friendship with a California horse trainer; “Candace Parker: Unapologetic,” the story of the WNBA superstar; “Ashima,” about Ashima Shirashi, the Japanese-American rock climber who set world records in her teens; “Shari & Lamb Chop,...
- 11/8/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Paramount Global has condemned the Hamas terrorist organization in the wake of its deadly attack in Israel and a retaliatory conflict now underway in Gaza.
“Let us be clear that Paramount condemns the terrorist attacks by Hamas. We stand in support of the global Jewish community, and the innocent people in Israel and the region whose lives are lost, unaccounted for, or unimaginably interrupted. We stand with the children who deserve to be children, and with all people who deserve to live without fear for their safety. And, we stand united against all acts of terror and hate,” Shari Redstone, non-executive chairman of the studio and CEO Bob Bakish said in an internal memo to employees viewed by The Hollywood Reporter.
The top studio execs added Paramount has donated $1 million to humanitarian relief efforts by Magen David Adom, Natal, Uja-Federation of New York and Save the Children. Paramount will also...
“Let us be clear that Paramount condemns the terrorist attacks by Hamas. We stand in support of the global Jewish community, and the innocent people in Israel and the region whose lives are lost, unaccounted for, or unimaginably interrupted. We stand with the children who deserve to be children, and with all people who deserve to live without fear for their safety. And, we stand united against all acts of terror and hate,” Shari Redstone, non-executive chairman of the studio and CEO Bob Bakish said in an internal memo to employees viewed by The Hollywood Reporter.
The top studio execs added Paramount has donated $1 million to humanitarian relief efforts by Magen David Adom, Natal, Uja-Federation of New York and Save the Children. Paramount will also...
- 10/12/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Double Oscar nominee Richard Jenkins is celebrating the latest laurel in his distinguished career: an Emmy nomination for Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. He plays the bewildered father of the titular real life serial killer in the Netflix series co-created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan.
“It’s always a surprise, a pleasant one when it happens,” Jenkins told Deadline of the nomination. “I loved working on the project and it’s nice to see it get some recognition. There’s some wonderful performances and the crew was great; the directors were terrific. Ryan Murphy — who I’m crazy about — he’s been thinking about this and working on this case for years, and I’m happy for him.”
Molly Ringwald as Shari, Richard Jenkins as Lionel Dahmer in ‘Dahmer – Monster’
To play the role of Lionel Dahmer, Jenkins had to imagine the unfathomable – a man realizing that the...
“It’s always a surprise, a pleasant one when it happens,” Jenkins told Deadline of the nomination. “I loved working on the project and it’s nice to see it get some recognition. There’s some wonderful performances and the crew was great; the directors were terrific. Ryan Murphy — who I’m crazy about — he’s been thinking about this and working on this case for years, and I’m happy for him.”
Molly Ringwald as Shari, Richard Jenkins as Lionel Dahmer in ‘Dahmer – Monster’
To play the role of Lionel Dahmer, Jenkins had to imagine the unfathomable – a man realizing that the...
- 7/12/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
A version of this story about the hairstyling of “Dahmer—Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” first appeared in the Limited Series/Movies issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.
One of the great ironies of Jeffrey Dahmer’s existence is that while his apartment stank of, in his words, “rotting meat” (we all know what it really was), his physical appearance was initially anything but shabby. He even had a tidy blond hairdo, which Evan Peters wears as the cannibal serial killer in producer Ryan Murphy’s “Dahmer—Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” for Netflix.
“If you look at a lot of pictures, there were times where Dahmer had darker hair and times that he had these blond highlights and you’re trying to figure out where did these highlights come from?” hair department head Shay Sanford-Fong said. “But a lot of it is in Ryan’s research: When he was in jail,...
One of the great ironies of Jeffrey Dahmer’s existence is that while his apartment stank of, in his words, “rotting meat” (we all know what it really was), his physical appearance was initially anything but shabby. He even had a tidy blond hairdo, which Evan Peters wears as the cannibal serial killer in producer Ryan Murphy’s “Dahmer—Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” for Netflix.
“If you look at a lot of pictures, there were times where Dahmer had darker hair and times that he had these blond highlights and you’re trying to figure out where did these highlights come from?” hair department head Shay Sanford-Fong said. “But a lot of it is in Ryan’s research: When he was in jail,...
- 6/7/2023
- by Jason Clark
- The Wrap
Harry Belafonte’s family is remembering his legacy.
The legendary singer, actor and activist died on Tuesday at age 96, and soon after the sad news broke, his family released a statement in tribute.
Read More: Harry Belafonte, Activist & Entertainer, Passes Away At 96
“It is with a heavy heart that we have said goodbye to our beloved dad, father-in-law, and grandpa, the beyond amazing Harry Belafonte,” they said. “To the world he was a legend, but to us he was Dad, Harry, Farfar – which means Grandpa in Danish – and he will always mean the world to us.”
The statement continued, “We are heartbroken to have lost such a big presence in our lives and we will honour him in everything we do. His legacy is passed on to his four children, Adrienne, Shari, David, and Gina, as well as his five grandchildren, Rachel Blue, Brian, Maria, Sarafina, and Amadeus, all of...
The legendary singer, actor and activist died on Tuesday at age 96, and soon after the sad news broke, his family released a statement in tribute.
Read More: Harry Belafonte, Activist & Entertainer, Passes Away At 96
“It is with a heavy heart that we have said goodbye to our beloved dad, father-in-law, and grandpa, the beyond amazing Harry Belafonte,” they said. “To the world he was a legend, but to us he was Dad, Harry, Farfar – which means Grandpa in Danish – and he will always mean the world to us.”
The statement continued, “We are heartbroken to have lost such a big presence in our lives and we will honour him in everything we do. His legacy is passed on to his four children, Adrienne, Shari, David, and Gina, as well as his five grandchildren, Rachel Blue, Brian, Maria, Sarafina, and Amadeus, all of...
- 4/25/2023
- by Corey Atad
- ET Canada
Harry Belafonte, beloved singer, actor, and Egot winner, has died at age 96 of congestive heart failure. Belfonte died at his New York home on Apr. 25, 2023, with his wife, Pamela, by his side. Four children and two stepchildren survive him, reported ABC7 New York.
Harry Belafonte died at age 96 of congestive heart failure on Apr. 25, 2023, | Gary Gershoff/WireImage Harry Belafonte was a native New Yorker
Harry Belafonte was born Harold Bellanfanti Jr. in Harlem, New York, on March 1, 1927. He lived with his grandmother in Jamaica from 1932 to 1940 before returning to New York City and serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
Following the war, Belafonte took acting classes at the Dramatic Workshop of The New School in New York City while also performing with the American Negro Theatre. He developed an appreciation for folk music while working as a club singer in New York to help pay for acting lessons.
Harry Belafonte died at age 96 of congestive heart failure on Apr. 25, 2023, | Gary Gershoff/WireImage Harry Belafonte was a native New Yorker
Harry Belafonte was born Harold Bellanfanti Jr. in Harlem, New York, on March 1, 1927. He lived with his grandmother in Jamaica from 1932 to 1940 before returning to New York City and serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
Following the war, Belafonte took acting classes at the Dramatic Workshop of The New School in New York City while also performing with the American Negro Theatre. He developed an appreciation for folk music while working as a club singer in New York to help pay for acting lessons.
- 4/25/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Harry Belafonte, a beloved Hollywood star, iconic singer, and prominent civil rights activist, died on Tuesday at his home in Manhattan's Upper West Side, The New York Times reported. He was 96 years old. That outlet noted that Belafonte's longtime spokesperson Ken Sunshine confirmed the actor died of congestive heart failure.
Belafonte rose to astronomical heights in the 20th century as one of the most renowned entertainers of his time, who blazed trails for other Black performers alongside icons like his late friend Sidney Poitier. The actor became known as one of the first Black leading men in Hollywood, starring in iconic films like 1954's "Carmen Jones," as well as many TV variety specials. Belafonte also forayed into film production with features like "The World, the Flesh and the Devil" and heist picture "Odds Against Tomorrow," both from 1959.
According to Variety, Belafonte then stepped back from the big screen for...
Belafonte rose to astronomical heights in the 20th century as one of the most renowned entertainers of his time, who blazed trails for other Black performers alongside icons like his late friend Sidney Poitier. The actor became known as one of the first Black leading men in Hollywood, starring in iconic films like 1954's "Carmen Jones," as well as many TV variety specials. Belafonte also forayed into film production with features like "The World, the Flesh and the Devil" and heist picture "Odds Against Tomorrow," both from 1959.
According to Variety, Belafonte then stepped back from the big screen for...
- 4/25/2023
- by Njera Perkins
- Popsugar.com
Harry Belafonte, the actor, singer and civil rights trailblazer, died Tuesday of congestive heart failure at his New York home, with his wife Pamela by his side. He was 96.
Belafonte is considered among the most successful Caribbean-American music stars of all time and one of the first Black leading men in Hollywood, making a name for himself during the 1950s and ’60s. An activist and social campaigner by nature, he was an early supporter of the Civil Rights movement and became a major figure in the American social and political history of the 20th century.
He was a confidant of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and backed many historic political and social causes and events, including the anti-apartheid movement, equal rights for women, juvenile justice, climate change and the decolonization of Africa. He was one of the organizers of the 1963 March on Washington, leading a delegation of Hollywood including best friend Sidney Poitier,...
Belafonte is considered among the most successful Caribbean-American music stars of all time and one of the first Black leading men in Hollywood, making a name for himself during the 1950s and ’60s. An activist and social campaigner by nature, he was an early supporter of the Civil Rights movement and became a major figure in the American social and political history of the 20th century.
He was a confidant of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and backed many historic political and social causes and events, including the anti-apartheid movement, equal rights for women, juvenile justice, climate change and the decolonization of Africa. He was one of the organizers of the 1963 March on Washington, leading a delegation of Hollywood including best friend Sidney Poitier,...
- 4/25/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Showtime dropped the first episode in its newest series, “Waco: The Aftermath,” where we learn about the events that followed the Siege of Waco in February 1993. After a 51-day siege outside the Mt. Carmel compound, where the self-proclaimed Messiah David Koresh (Taylor Kitsch) and almost 80 of his followers (women and children included) were housed, the Atf and FBI sent a tank to destroy the house and deployed tear gas. The house went up in flames, killing almost everyone inside, Koresh included. Of the people who survived, Showtime’s newest series presents a look into what became of these defendants, whether they were doomed from the start or were given a fighting chance. Here’s what happens in the first episode.
Spoilers Ahead
The New Season
“Waco: The Aftermath” begins in an FBI meeting room with negotiators Gary Noesner (Michael Shannon) and Mitch Decker (Shea Wigham) arguing about the FBI and...
Spoilers Ahead
The New Season
“Waco: The Aftermath” begins in an FBI meeting room with negotiators Gary Noesner (Michael Shannon) and Mitch Decker (Shea Wigham) arguing about the FBI and...
- 4/15/2023
- by Indrayudh Talukdar
- Film Fugitives
Shari Redstone, the chair of Paramount Global and president and CEO of National Amusements, will be honored at the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Museum of Tolerance’s National Tribute Dinner — an annual gathering of many of the most powerful and influential people in Hollywood — with the organizations’ highest honor, the Humanitarian Award, The Hollywood Reporter has learned exclusively.
The 68-year-old will be feted on the evening of May 10 at the Beverly Hilton.
Past Humanitarian Award honorees include Elizabeth Taylor, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Tom Cruise, Billy Crystal, Jim Gianopulos, Ted Sarandos, Jon Feltheimer, Bob Iger, George Clooney and Eddy Cue.
Swc’s founder and dean, Rabbi Marvin Hier, a two-time Oscar winner and member of the Academy, will, as always, preside over the National Tribute Dinner. Dinner chairs include Cruise, Cue, Iger, Katzenberg, JJ Abrams, Steven Spielberg, Dick Wolf and David Zaslav.
“We are honored that Shari Redstone is the recipient...
The 68-year-old will be feted on the evening of May 10 at the Beverly Hilton.
Past Humanitarian Award honorees include Elizabeth Taylor, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Tom Cruise, Billy Crystal, Jim Gianopulos, Ted Sarandos, Jon Feltheimer, Bob Iger, George Clooney and Eddy Cue.
Swc’s founder and dean, Rabbi Marvin Hier, a two-time Oscar winner and member of the Academy, will, as always, preside over the National Tribute Dinner. Dinner chairs include Cruise, Cue, Iger, Katzenberg, JJ Abrams, Steven Spielberg, Dick Wolf and David Zaslav.
“We are honored that Shari Redstone is the recipient...
- 4/10/2023
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tyler Perry says his interest in buying a majority stake in BET following news that Paramount was exploring a sale is far from rumor.
The producer and studio owner, who has been a longtime partner of BET, dispelled notions that he wasn’t fully interested in the network while recently speaking to Entertainment Tonight at Tyler Perry Studios.
“Rumor? No, it’s not a rumor,” Perry said. “I’ve been there for four years now and had tremendous success. I wasn’t expecting this to happen, so, yes … If it’s possible, I’m gonna take as much of it as I can.”
The Hollywood Reporter first reported news of interest from Perry whose 2017 deal with Paramount is reportedly ending soon. If he was able to make the purchase, the majority stake in BET would give the mogul ownership of the brand that airs many of his shows. At the time,...
The producer and studio owner, who has been a longtime partner of BET, dispelled notions that he wasn’t fully interested in the network while recently speaking to Entertainment Tonight at Tyler Perry Studios.
“Rumor? No, it’s not a rumor,” Perry said. “I’ve been there for four years now and had tremendous success. I wasn’t expecting this to happen, so, yes … If it’s possible, I’m gonna take as much of it as I can.”
The Hollywood Reporter first reported news of interest from Perry whose 2017 deal with Paramount is reportedly ending soon. If he was able to make the purchase, the majority stake in BET would give the mogul ownership of the brand that airs many of his shows. At the time,...
- 4/5/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The sky’s the limit for Tyler Perry!
Et’s Nischelle Turner visited Perry at Tyler Perry Studios, on the set of his new movie, “Six Triple Eight”, where he revealed that there’s truth to the rumours about him buying a majority stake in BET — in fact, he’s very interested in purchasing the network.
“Rumour? No, it’s not a rumour,” Perry shared. “I’ve been there for four years now and had tremendous success. I wasn’t expecting this to happen, so, yes — if that is possible, I’m very, very interested in taking as much of it…”
He continued, “If it’s possible, I’m gonna take as much of it as I can.”
Perry isn’t the only one who wants a piece of the network, with both Byron Allen and Diddy vying to buy into BET.
“Part of it is — and I’ve read...
Et’s Nischelle Turner visited Perry at Tyler Perry Studios, on the set of his new movie, “Six Triple Eight”, where he revealed that there’s truth to the rumours about him buying a majority stake in BET — in fact, he’s very interested in purchasing the network.
“Rumour? No, it’s not a rumour,” Perry shared. “I’ve been there for four years now and had tremendous success. I wasn’t expecting this to happen, so, yes — if that is possible, I’m very, very interested in taking as much of it…”
He continued, “If it’s possible, I’m gonna take as much of it as I can.”
Perry isn’t the only one who wants a piece of the network, with both Byron Allen and Diddy vying to buy into BET.
“Part of it is — and I’ve read...
- 4/5/2023
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
Which Blindspot duo is going undercover? Are “Wild” times ahead for Arrow‘s Thea? Is The Originals getting its own Matt Donovan? Will “real life” cop-block Blue Bloods romance? Read on for answers to those questions plus teases from other shows.
VideosBlindspot Goes Global in International Season 3
What’s coming up on Blindspot? —Carlynn
As I hung out with the cast at Wednesday’s NYC premiere party, Jaimie Alexander got to raving about Audrey Esparza’s dance skills, which led me to suggest an undercover op where Tasha gets to do some twirling. That prompted Alexander to share this...
VideosBlindspot Goes Global in International Season 3
What’s coming up on Blindspot? —Carlynn
As I hung out with the cast at Wednesday’s NYC premiere party, Jaimie Alexander got to raving about Audrey Esparza’s dance skills, which led me to suggest an undercover op where Tasha gets to do some twirling. That prompted Alexander to share this...
- 10/26/2017
- TVLine.com
The Muslim Shari’a courts in the Middle East have excluded women for centuries, and the influential religious legal system has never appointed a woman as a judge — until Kholoud Al-Faqih came along. The Palestinian lawyer tells her story in Erika Cohn’s new documentary “The Judge,” which will premiere next month at the Toronto International Film Festival. IndieWire has the first look at the trailer below.
Cohn’s film follows Al-Faqih through her ongoing advocacy for women’s rights, providing a closeup look at the way she navigates personal and professional struggles while working her way up through the court system. She’s driven by several causes at once. “If I can’t achieve justice for myself, I can’t achieve justice for others,” she says in the film. It’s no big spoiler to note that she’s successful in that goal, since she now goes by the title Judge Kholoud Al-Faqih.
Cohn’s film follows Al-Faqih through her ongoing advocacy for women’s rights, providing a closeup look at the way she navigates personal and professional struggles while working her way up through the court system. She’s driven by several causes at once. “If I can’t achieve justice for myself, I can’t achieve justice for others,” she says in the film. It’s no big spoiler to note that she’s successful in that goal, since she now goes by the title Judge Kholoud Al-Faqih.
- 8/24/2017
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Rebecca and Josh will never have problems again!
If you actually believe that, you haven't been paying attention.
On Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 2 Episode 10 Rebecca brought Josh home to meet the Garfinkels, and while we're still not totally sold that romance is the right move for the teenage (summer camp) sweethearts, Rebecca's family is Totally Team Josh.
It's crazy, right?
Elsewhere in the hour, our heroine became enlightened for roughly 30 seconds, Rebecca's mom treated us to a little “Period Sex,” and Patty LuPone taught us about true suffering.
But everything isn't rainbows and soul train, right? Let's dive in!
First off, I need you all to know how excited I was that the Garfinkel Ring finally made a reappearance on the series.
For those who totally forgot Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 1 Episode 14, Rebecca pawned the family heirloom she earned from her mother in order to catch a flight to Hawaii to follow Josh.
If you actually believe that, you haven't been paying attention.
On Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 2 Episode 10 Rebecca brought Josh home to meet the Garfinkels, and while we're still not totally sold that romance is the right move for the teenage (summer camp) sweethearts, Rebecca's family is Totally Team Josh.
It's crazy, right?
Elsewhere in the hour, our heroine became enlightened for roughly 30 seconds, Rebecca's mom treated us to a little “Period Sex,” and Patty LuPone taught us about true suffering.
But everything isn't rainbows and soul train, right? Let's dive in!
First off, I need you all to know how excited I was that the Garfinkel Ring finally made a reappearance on the series.
For those who totally forgot Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 1 Episode 14, Rebecca pawned the family heirloom she earned from her mother in order to catch a flight to Hawaii to follow Josh.
- 1/14/2017
- by Christine Laskodi
- TVfanatic
Produced by Condé Nast Entertainment and Jigsaw Productions, “The New Yorker Presents,” which Amazon revealed in weekly installments starting in February, is unlike anything else. Each of the 10 half-hour episodes is a uniquely curated set of documentary and fiction shorts, comedy, poetry, animation, and cartoons drawn from the rich content of The New Yorker. Both unexpected and hugely entertaining, the series is up for Emmy consideration in the informational program category.
Look at the range of the first two shows. They include Steve James (“Hoop Dreams”) on bull riding, Edwidge Danticat on the connection between Jacob Lawrence’s “Migration Series” and outbreaks of racist violence in America, Nick Paumgarten on closing the $2.4 billion Revel casino, cartoons by Roz Chast, Benjamin Schwartz, and Liana Finck, a look at The New Yorker’s archive library and fact-checking department, a beekeeper and a man who raises pigeons who work atop tall buildings, and...
Look at the range of the first two shows. They include Steve James (“Hoop Dreams”) on bull riding, Edwidge Danticat on the connection between Jacob Lawrence’s “Migration Series” and outbreaks of racist violence in America, Nick Paumgarten on closing the $2.4 billion Revel casino, cartoons by Roz Chast, Benjamin Schwartz, and Liana Finck, a look at The New Yorker’s archive library and fact-checking department, a beekeeper and a man who raises pigeons who work atop tall buildings, and...
- 6/22/2016
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
A new lawsuit claims the idea for Fox’s hit comedy series “New Girl” was stolen from a script by two unknown writers, which was secretly given to show producers within the talent agency they shared. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court of Central California on Thursday, alleges that a television pilot based on the real-life breakup of writer Stephanie Counts and co-written by Shari Gould was used without their knowledge or permission as the basis for “New Girl.” Also read: Damon Wayans Jr. to Continue on ‘New Girl’ for Rest of Season Counts and Gold say their script,...
- 1/17/2014
- by L.A. Ross
- The Wrap
Is How I Met Your Mother trotting the globe? Will Patrick return for (shirtless) Revenge? Are more Scandal sexytimes ahead? Who is Once Upon a Time‘s new hero? Is Beauty’s Beast in heat? Read on for answers to those questions plus teases from other shows.
Related | 2014 Renewal Scorecard: What’s Coming Back? What’s Cancelled?
Do you have any spoilers for How I Met Your Mother? –Shari
Did somebody order Chinese? Because one of the final season’s episodes will travel abroad as well as through time. “There’s an episode coming up that’s … mostly in flashback and mostly set in China,...
Related | 2014 Renewal Scorecard: What’s Coming Back? What’s Cancelled?
Do you have any spoilers for How I Met Your Mother? –Shari
Did somebody order Chinese? Because one of the final season’s episodes will travel abroad as well as through time. “There’s an episode coming up that’s … mostly in flashback and mostly set in China,...
- 11/22/2013
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Are things about to heat up on Castle? Might an NCIS fave move to New Orleans? Who will Mother fans meet? Who on Reign gets a blast from their romantic past? Read on for answers to those questions plus teases from other shows.
Related | 2014 Renewal Scorecard: What’s Coming Back? What’s Cancelled?
Can you ask Andrew Marlowe why we don’t get to see the weekly poker games with Castle’s writer friends anymore? I really loved those scenes. –Janice
I did ask, and the answer is admittedly bittersweet, as it reminds us of the passing of novelist Stephen J. Cannell,...
Related | 2014 Renewal Scorecard: What’s Coming Back? What’s Cancelled?
Can you ask Andrew Marlowe why we don’t get to see the weekly poker games with Castle’s writer friends anymore? I really loved those scenes. –Janice
I did ask, and the answer is admittedly bittersweet, as it reminds us of the passing of novelist Stephen J. Cannell,...
- 11/8/2013
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Ralph Lynn, a lieutenant in World War II, didn’t even know that women were taking the place of men in bomb and aircraft factories until after he came back home. See what he thought when he arrived home to find that women were working as bomb girls and Real-Life Rosies. Then watch the critically-acclaimed drama, Bomb Girls, Wednesdays at 9p Et/ 6p Pt to learn even more about the women who changed the face of our culture completely.
Same War, Different Battles
2-Hour Season Finale Tonight at 8p E/ 5p P
Next Showing:
Link | Posted 5/20/2013 by Shari
Bomb Girls...
Same War, Different Battles
2-Hour Season Finale Tonight at 8p E/ 5p P
Next Showing:
Link | Posted 5/20/2013 by Shari
Bomb Girls...
- 5/20/2013
- by Shari Taylor
- Reelzchannel.com
[1] Glee star Darren Criss has landed a part in Imogene, a dark comedy by American Splendor directors Shari Springer Bergman and Robert Pulcini. The Michelle Morgan-penned script revolves around a New York playwright (Kristen Wiig) who fakes a suicide in order to get her ex-boyfriend's attention. Instead of winning him back, however, she winds up forced to move in with her gambling-addicted "tacky Jersey Shore mother" (Annette Bening). Criss will play "a younger love interest" who catches the eye of Wiig's character, but let's be real -- the really intriguing bit of info here is the fact that Bening will be, as Vulture [2] put it, "channel[ing] Snooki" to play "the mother who’s a little inappropriate all the time." Shooting for the project will begin in New York City this summer. [ThePlaylist [3]] After the jump, Frank Grillo picks up two new roles on either side of the law, and Patricia Clarkson...
- 8/1/2011
- by Angie Han
- Slash Film
James Gandolfini is back and he's apparently bigger than ever. The photos below were taken of Gandolfini while filming Cinema Verte, a new HBO movie, in New York. As you can see, Gandolfini is showing off a new beard and cigarette-holding squint. While the squint looks more Popeye than Santa Claus, you've got to admit that the beard and extra-jolly weight do drum up visions of Old St. Nick and 'visions of sugar plums' dancing in your head. What do you think? Can Gandolfini steal Tim Allen's Santa Claus crown? Edie Falco, Gandolfini's co-star from The Sopranos, recently took home the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series her role as Jackie Peyton in Showtime’s Nurse Jackie Season 2. Cinema Verite also stars Tim Robbins, Diane Lane and Thomas Dekker. The film is directed by Shari Springer and Berman Robert Pulcini. The screenplay is by David Seltzer.
- 8/31/2010
- by Alexis James-Whitehead
- BuzzFocus.com
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