Topic
Consolidation of film studios, television networks and streaming services through acquisition, and the regulatory review such deals attract.
Warner Bros.' 'Digger' has grossed $35.3 million worldwide after an $8 million domestic opening and a 60% second-weekend drop. Fortune, citing Variety, puts the loss at $245 million; the Los Angeles Times, citing industry sources and counting streaming, says at least $150 million.
Reality
Discovery Plus raised its ad-free plan from $9.99 to $11.99 a month, a week after Paramount closed its Warner Bros. Discovery deal. Existing subscribers see the new price from November 12, and whether the service stays standalone is still unanswered.
Reality
More than 200GB of Cartoon Network production files is reported to be circulating online, though no one has confirmed the size or the source. Dexerto lists editable character rigs and layered Photoshop files among the contents.
Reality
Skydance's David Ellison plans to merge Paramount+ and HBO Max, a pairing he puts at over 200 million subscribers, now that the Warner Bros. deal has closed. The company says it carries roughly $80 billion of debt, so that scale has to turn into cash.
Perspective Coverage
3 publishersReality
David Ellison told Skydance staff that HBO Max and Paramount+, priced at $18.49 and $13.99 ad-free, will share one tech platform before becoming one app. A discounted bundle covers the interim while the merged service's name and price stay open.
Reality
Paramount Skydance made Mattel's Ynon Kreiz co-CEO in charge of operations and its $110 billion Warner Bros. Discovery integration. He brings a career built in television long before Barbie to a combined company carrying $52 billion of debt.
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4 publishersReality
Paramount Skydance is readying new Paramount+ features to lift engagement and revenue as it finalizes its $110 billion Warner Bros. Discovery deal. Internal documents describe the free tier as a registration funnel meant to turn samplers into paying subscribers at a service struggling with churn.
Reality
Paramount says the sovereign wealth funds of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar will take its indirect foreign ownership to 49.5 percent. The FCC approved that. The purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery still waits on a March antitrust trial.
Perspective Coverage
3 publishersReality