Deal Memo

• Consumers Sue to Stop Paramount-WBD Merger, Invoking 'Save CNN' • Kaufman Astoria Studios Faces Foreclosure as Production Real Estate Corrects • StudioMonowa: CJ ENM, Japan's TBS, and U-Next Build a Korea-Japan Content Joint Venture • Roku Q1 2026: Ad Revenue Hits $612.7M, Up 27% • Apple Services Crosses $30B — Best March Quarter Ever • 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' Tracking $80M+ for Memorial Day...

• Ellison Hosts Trump — Merger as Political Access Play • Bob Iger Rejoins Thrive Capital — The Post-Disney Pivot • RTL Seals Sky Deutschland — Europe Runs the U.S. Consolidation Playbook • Michael Breaks International Records with $18.5M First Day • Mortal Kombat II Tracking $40-50M Opening — Gaming IP Keeps Working • Sony Affirm Sets Brazilian Flywheel Remake — Faith-Based Goes International • H...

• The Theatrical Window Compact • The IP Monoculture Problem • The Merger Subtext — What Exhibitors Actually Heard • Amazon MGM's CinemaCon: The Streamer-Owned Studio That Believes Hardest • Neon at CinemaCon: All Originals, Main Stage • Street Fighter: Video Game IP as the Next Franchise Frontier • Snoop Dogg Biopic: Universal, Death Row Pictures, Craig Brewer • Cat in the Hat: WB Bets on Dr. Seu...

• Sean Baker's Twenty-Two Million Dollar 'Indie' Deal • Disney Outsources Japanese Production to The Seven • Netflix's European Action Play with 'Play Dead' • Prime Video Grabs Embassy Rights in Six Territories • Sister Group Takes Majority Stake in After Party Studios • Amazon Poaches Apple's Oliver Jones for UK Scripted • ICS Nordic Expands into Live Comedy

• Duffer Brothers Signal Creator Confidence Shift in Paramount Legacy Video • Ellison Commits Paramount to 45-Day Theatrical Window at CinemaCon • Sarandos Reframes Netflix's Failed Warner Bros Bid as M&A Training • Brendan Fitzgerald Steps Down as Secuoya Studios CEO • Sarandos Says No Palace Intrigue Over Reed Hastings Exit • Netflix Q1 Beats Expectations But Shares Still Drop • Legend of Aang F...

• NewsNation Partners With Nexstar For California Gubernatorial Debate • Hollywood A-Listers Sign Letter Opposing Paramount-WBD Merger • Neon Sets Christmas Day Release For Chloe Domont's 'A Place In Hell' • Urban Sales Boards Cannes ACID Opener • Paramount Acquires Wahlberg-Abdul-Mateen Crime Thriller • StudioCanal Unveils CinemaCon Slate • Angel Studios Expands Twenty Twenty-Six Slate

• Mexico's New Production Incentive: Financing Tool or Band-Aid? • Paramount Refinances Bridge Facility Ahead of WBD Merger • Netflix Buys Chris Bremner Spec 'Ram' — Are Specs Back? • MK2 Boards Rwandan Cannes Film — Prestige Distribution as Business Model • Pan's Labyrinth Gets 20th Anniversary Re-Release • Comcast Expands StreamSaver Bundle • Paramount Details Jeff Shell Severance • DOJ Investig...

• The Art Argument: Is This What $150M Looks Like? • The Politics Fight: What Message Did Anyone Actually See? • The Business Reality: What Do the Numbers Actually Say? • The Bigger Question: Who Gets to Decide What Movies Mean? • The DiCaprio Factor • The Chase Infiniti Breakout • The International Numbers • The Streaming Afterlife • What This Means for PTA's Next Film

• The Iron Lung Illusion: Creator-Driven Theatrical Success Story or System Mirage? • Gulf Sovereign Wealth Funds Lock Down Paramount-WBD Deal Financing • Bill Ackman's Sixty-Four Billion Dollar Universal Music Gambit • Emerald Fennell Circling Basic Instinct Reboot • Glen Powell's Judd Apatow Country Western Comedy Gets a Title • SAG-AFTRA Back to the Table with AMPTP • MMA Star Anderson Silva Si...

• FilmHedge Launches Two Hundred Million Dollar Film Fund • Meryl Streep: Devil Wears Prada Had to 'Scrabble for Budget' Due to Chick Flick Label • IATSE Strikes Jonathan Majors Daily Wire Production Over Labor Issues • Michael Jackson Biopic Tracking for Record Fifty-Five Million Opening • Sam Altman Says Disney Partnership Scrapped After Sora Shutdown • OpenAI Acquires Business Series TBPN • Sup...

• Nexstar-Tegna Merger Blocked: When Local TV Can't Consolidate • UK Production Financing Tightens: Allegro's Survival Mode Raise • Disney's Digital Strategy in Freefall • Disney+ Italy Deal: More European Scrambling • Streaming Revenue Growth Slowing Despite Price Hikes • ITV Studios Backs New Drama Label • Scott Budnick Expands Development Team

• Row K's Executive Exodus Signals Mid-Tier Distribution Collapse • Statham's Beekeeper 2 German Sale Reveals Studios' Defensive International Strategy • Democratic Senators Target Paramount-WBD Deal Over Foreign Investment • Dhurandhar Posts Eighty-One Million Dollar Global Opening • Walmart-Vizio Unveil Unified Streaming Ad Platform • Project Hail Mary Lands Eleven Million in Previews

• Ellison's Lobbying Letter Reveals Paramount-WBD Deal Isn't Done • Swiss Distribution Merger Shows How Consolidation Actually Works • Quiver Bets on Comfort Food Theatrical with 'A Love Like This' • Netflix's Dan Lin Asks For More Time on Theatrical Strategy • Care Bears Gets 'People We Meet on Vacation' Writers • Artists Equity Launches Writers' Room Program • Project Hail Mary Tracking $100M Pl...

• Universal Cuts Theatrical Window to 45 Days • Megan Ellison's Annapurna 2.0 Launches International TV Division • Angel Studios Acquires 'Salt & Honey' with Amy Redford Directing • Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Cookie Documentary Finds Home • RZA Launches Distribution Label with Tarantino Partnership • Sony Pictures Classics Dates Summer Comedy • Range Media Partners Expands Into Microdramas •...

• The Real Best Picture Race: Art vs. Business Models • Horror's Prestige Moment and Genre Barriers Breaking Down • The Wicked Snub and Franchise Fatigue Reality Check • International Cinema's Academy Breakthrough Moment • Must-Watch Films Before Sunday • The New Casting Category Wild Card • Netflix's Best Picture Problem Continues • Upset Predictions Worth Considering • What Sunday's Results Mean...

• Phil Rosenthal Takes 'Somebody Feed Phil' to YouTube, Partners with Banijay • Mike Flanagan Signs Exclusive Multi-Year Deal with Amazon MGM Studios • Arnold Schwarzenegger and Christopher McQuarrie Set New 'Conan' Film at 20th Century Studios • Wasserman Rebrand Underway as Bidding Begins for Casey Wasserman's Empire • Gulf Eid Al Fitr Box Office Season Faces Uncertainty Amid Middle East Conflic...

• Banijay-All3Media: Eight Billion Dollar Bet on Global Production Dominance • WGA Drops Contract Demands Three Weeks Before AMPTP Showdown • State AGs Take Last Shot at Killing Paramount-Warner Bros Deal • Fifteen-Year-Old Gen Alpha Creator Signs With Three Major Reps • Former Gersh Executive Closes Seven-Figure Funding Round • Lynne Ramsay Still Questioning Her Latest Film's Ending • Japanese An...

• Constantin's Oliver Berben Bets on 'Triple-A' Indie Filmmakers • Disney Hits $1B Worldwide — But Is This Recovery or Disney Exceptionalism? • Warner Bros Discovery May Finally Engage With Paramount's Takeover Bid • Japan's Streaming Market Hits $7.2B, Dwarfs Theatrical Recovery • Spirit Awards Honor 'Train Dreams' and Indie Filmmaking • Arsenal's Eberechi Eze Launches Production Company With Fre...

• Netflix's Product Division Cuts Clash With Major IP Spending • Sony's 'Lord of the Flies' Global Sales Blitz Reveals Market Dynamics • Valentine's Weekend Box Office Test: 'Wuthering Heights' Aims for $70M Global Opening • Hulu Orders Elisabeth Moss Legal Drama from David Shore • Surfing Giant Opens European Animation Hub in Canary Islands • Italian Royalty Inspires Competition Reality Series