Movies

Variety Again Claims Paramount WBD Bid Backed by Saudi, Middle Eastern Funding After Previous Denial

Variety Again Claims Paramount WBD Bid Backed by Saudi, Middle Eastern Funding After Previous Denial

Variety has published yet another report asserting that Paramount Skydance’s latest all-cash bid for Warner Bros. Discovery is backed by Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds, including Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the Qatar Investment Authority, and Abu Dhabi’s ADIA. The timing is striking—not only because the Warner Bros. bidding war is heating up, but because Paramount already blasted this exact story last month.

Netflix Makes Mostly-Cash Bid for Warner Bros., But Government Opposition Looms

Netflix Makes Mostly-Cash Bid for Warner Bros., But Government Opposition Looms

The Netflix Warner Bros. saga took another sharp turn this weekend as Reuters confirmed the streamer submitted a mostly-cash bid in the second round of binding offers for WBD. However, the streaming giant may still face enormous obstacles—even if its bid is competitive. According to reporting from the New York Post, high-level government officials have already indicated that they would oppose any Netflix acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery on antitrust grounds.

Zootopia 2 Sets Off a Flurry of Furry, Talking-Animal Movies Coming from Hollywood as Studios Chase China

Zootopia 2 Sets Off a Flurry of Furry, Talking-Animal Movies Coming from Hollywood as Studios Chase China

China’s long-standing love affair with talking-animal films has become one of the most reliable patterns in the global box office, repeatedly turning anthropomorphic stories into runaway hits. Disney first witnessed the phenomenon in a major way with The Lion King (2019), which roared to over $120 million in China thanks to its photorealistic animal cast and nostalgic appeal.

Ariana Grande Fires Back at Fans as Internet Memes Fixate on Her Health and Appearance

Ariana Grande Fires Back at Fans as Internet Memes Fixate on Her Health and Appearance

Discussions surrounding Ariana Grande and her health picked up again the last few months as online memes about her and Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo circulated across social platforms. The renewed attention prompted Grande to reshare a past message on her Instagram Story addressing commentary about her appearance—without directly responding to any specific post or meme.

Netflix Likely Out of Running for Warner Bros. Sale as White House Rings Antitrust Alarm Bells

Netflix Likely Out of Running for Warner Bros. Sale as White House Rings Antitrust Alarm Bells

Senior White House officials are raising major red flags over the Netflix bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, and those concerns may effectively knock the streamer out of the running before the next round of offers even lands on the table. The conversation around Netflix and Warner Bros. has rapidly shifted from speculation to skepticism, as officials inside President Trump’s administration now view the potential merger as a looming antitrust headache.

Wicked: For Good Sees Steep Box Office Drop as Zootopia Steals Away Family Audiences

Wicked: For Good Sees Steep Box Office Drop as Zootopia Steals Away Family Audiences

Wicked: For Good saw a steep second weekend box office drop amid huge competition during the holiday weekend. The Universal musical stormed into theaters with a stronger debut than the original Wicked, which many saw as a promising start for Universal’s two-part adaptation of the beloved Broadway hit. But as the dust settles on the Thanksgiving frame, a worrying trend is emerging: that second weekend plunge.

Zootopia 2 Rockets Past Half a Billion Dollars Thanks to Explosive Chinese Box Office Opening

Zootopia 2 Rockets Past Half a Billion Dollars Thanks to Explosive Chinese Box Office Opening

Disney has finally landed a certifiable global animated hit in 2025, and it comes from a franchise many assumed had been dormant too long to matter. Zootopia 2 has erupted across the international marketplace, with the opening holiday 5-day weekend box office surging past the half-billion mark thanks primarily to China’s astounding turnout.

Kathleen Kennedy Told Shawn Levy to Avoid Legacy Star Wars Characters in Starfighter

Kathleen Kennedy Told Shawn Levy to Avoid Legacy Star Wars Characters in Starfighter

According to hints from director Shawn Levy, his upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter will be unlike anything fans have seen before. Levy is clear that the “do something new” mandate isn’t something he demanded before coming on board, but is an instruction coming from Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy to avoid legacy Star Wars characters.