Variety

Variety

@variety.com

The business of entertainment.

151.5K followers19 following164 posts

Variety
@variety.com

Netflix is officially buying Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO Max in an $82.7 billion deal. The announcement came after a weeks-long bidding war that pitted the streaming giant against David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance and Comcast.

variety.comNetflix to Buy Warner Bros. and HBO Max in $82.7 Billion DealIt's official: Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery announced an agreement under which Netflix will acquire Warner Bros., including its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO.
Variety
@variety.com

"Wicked: For Good" has earned $30.8 million in previews, marking the biggest preview haul of the year. The sequel is on track for a $150M–$180M opening weekend. It would need to top the $162.7M debut of "A Minecraft Movie" to become 2025’s biggest box-office opening. variety.com/2025/film/bo...

Variety
@variety.com

Blake Lively says she’s suffered $161 million in damages from an alleged smear campaign tied to the release of “It Ends With Us.” - $56.2M in lost acting, producing, and endorsement income - $49M from her beauty brand Blake Brown - $22M from Betty Buzz/Betty Booze variety.com/2025/film/ne...

Variety
@variety.com

This week’s cover story: Inside David Ellison’s Dramatic First 100 Days at Paramount: Courting Tom Cruise Blockbusters, Forging Ties With Trump and Daring Anyone Else to Buy Warner Bros. Discovery wp.me/pc8uak-1lGw7u

Variety
@variety.com

Arcade Fire’s Win Butler and Régine Chassagne are separating after 22 years as both creative and life partners. The pair announced their split on Instagram, adding that they “look forward to seeing you on tour,” even though the band has no scheduled concert dates. variety.com/2025/music/n...

Variety
@variety.com

Netflix is “actively exploring” some type of acquisition bid for Warner Bros. Discovery and has retained investment bank Moelis & Co. to put together a prospective offer. Moelis was the financial adviser to David Ellison’s Skydance Media in its takeover of Paramount Global.

variety.comNetflix ‘Actively Exploring’ Warner Bros. Discovery Bid, Hires Bank to Put Together M&A Offer (Report)Netflix is "actively exploring" an acquisition bid for Warner Bros. Discovery and has retained investment bank Moelis & Co. to put together a prospective offer, Reuters reported.
Variety
@variety.com

Apple TV has released the official trailer for #Pluribus, the new sci-fi drama from “Breaking Bad” creator Vince Gilligan. The series will debut with a two-episode premiere on Nov. 7. Read the full trailer breakdown here:

variety.com‘Pluribus’ Trailer: ‘Breaking Bad’ Creator’s New Sci-Fi Series Sends Rhea Seehorn on a Mission to Save Humanity From HappinessRhea Seehorn is tasked with saving humanity in the trailer for 'Breaking Bad' creator Vince Gilligan's new sci-fi show on Apple, 'Pluribus.'
Variety
@variety.com

Bryan Cranston thanks OpenAI for updating Sora 2 to add new protections to protect actors’ voices and likenesses. “I was deeply concerned not just for myself, but for all performers whose work and identity can be misused in this way.” variety.com/2025/film/ne...

variety.comBryan Cranston, SAG-AFTRA and Agents Applaud Fixes to Open AI’s Sora 2 After OutcryBryan Cranston joined with SAG-AFTRA, CAA and UTA in thanking OpenAI for adding guardrails to Sora 2 that protect actors' voice and likenesses.
Variety
@variety.com

While ABC's decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show doubled cancelations of Disney+ and Hulu, both streamers also saw higher-than-average sign-ups during September. This helped offset the consumers who nixed their subscriptions. variety.com/2025/tv/news...

variety.comDisney+, Hulu Cancelation Rates Doubled During Jimmy Kimmel Suspension — but Total Sign-Ups Also IncreasedABC's decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show last month drove a surge in cancelations of Disney+ and Hulu streaming services by consumers outraged over the move. However, both services als...
Variety
@variety.com

Apple and Formula 1 have struck a five-year deal making Apple TV the exclusive U.S. home for all F1 races starting in 2026. The agreement follows the success of "F1 The Movie," which raked in $629 million worldwide at the box office this year. variety.com/2025/tv/news...

variety.comApple and Formula 1 Ink Five-Year Exclusive U.S. Streaming Deal Worth About $750 MillionApple and Formula 1 announced a five-year agreement under which all F1 races will be available exclusively on Apple TV in the U.S. beginning in 2026.
Variety
@variety.com

Warner Bros. Discovery speaks out against an Israeli film boycott and says it "violates our policies": “Our policies prohibit discrimination of any kind, including discrimination based on race, religion, national origin or ancestry." variety.com/2025/film/gl...

variety.comWarner Bros. Discovery Speaks Out Against Israeli Film Boycott: ‘Our Policies Prohibit Discrimination of Any Kind’ (EXCLUSIVE)Warner Bros. Discovery says it believes a boycott of Israeli film institutions would "violate" its policies.

Variety reposted

Adam B. Vary
@adambvary.bsky.social

In July 2024, I went to the set of #StrangerThings for two days and observed the Duffer brothers direct Millie Bobby Brown in the fourth episode of the fifth & final season. This year, @kateaurthur.bsky.social and I spent half a day total with the Duffers talking about the show and their future. 1/x

variety.comSaying Goodbye to ‘Stranger Things’: The Duffer Brothers Tell All on Season 5 Secrets, the Tearful Finale and Leaving Netflix for Paramount (EXCLUSIVE)Matt and Ross Duffer grace the cover of Variety and discuss ending "Stranger Things," the future of the franchise and leaving Netflix for Paramount.
Variety
@variety.com

Disney’s sci-fi sequel “Tron: Ares” opened to a disappointing $33.5 million this weekend, falling short of projections of $45 million to $50 million. For comparison, 2010’s “Tron: Legacy” debuted to $44 million (not adjusted for inflation). variety.com/2025/film/bo...

Variety
@variety.com

Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav has confirmed that the contracts for co-CEOs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy have been renewed for an unspecified period of time. variety.com/2025/film/ne...

variety.comWarner Bros. Renews Michael De Luca, Pamela Abdy Contracts After ‘Sinners’ and ‘Minecraft’ Spark Epic Box Office TurnaroundWarner Bros. film chiefs Michael De Luca, Pamela Abdy had their contracts renewed on the strength of hits like 'Sinners' and 'A Minecraft Movie.'
Variety
@variety.com

Before Bari Weiss was tapped as CBS News' new editor-in-chief, her agents pushed to get her on "The View" after Meghan McCain’s exit in 2021. Sources say Weiss' centrist-right contrarian politics ultimately didn't test well with audiences. Read more here: variety.com/2025/biz/new...

Variety reposted

Adam B. Vary
@adambvary.bsky.social

When I said hello to "Mr. Pantoliano" before our interview, he smiled and said, "You can call me Joey Pants, because you just murdered my last name." The subsequent interview, though relatively brief, was one of the most delightful I've had in my career. Hopefully, it's as delightful to read!

variety.com‘The Last of Us’ Guest Star Joe Pantoliano on Filming That Heartbreaking Final Scene and Forgetting Pedro Pascal"The Last of Us" guest star Joe Pantoliano discusses the death of his character, Eugene, and what happened when he saw Pedro Pascal for the first time on set.

Variety reposted

Alison Herman
@aherman2006.bsky.social

with OVERCOMPENSATING, benito skinner aka bennydrama dials down his personality to play a closeted version of himself in a jarringly earnest coming out story with frustrating glimpses of arch, campy edge: variety.com/2025/tv/revi...

variety.comBenito Skinner’s ‘Overcompensating’ Is a College Coming Out Story That Plays It Entirely Too Straight: TV ReviewThe Amazon Prime Video comedy from social media star Benito Skinner is a college coming out story that plays it entirely too straight.

Variety reposted

Alison Herman
@aherman2006.bsky.social

ahead of tonight's restaurant wars, I checked in with the TOP CHEF judges about tariffs, mise-en-place-gate, and stumbling into a political hotbed by celebrating canada's distinct culinary identity: variety.com/2025/tv/news...

variety.com‘Top Chef’ Judges Unpack the Surprisingly Political ‘Destination Canada’ and Slam Trump’s Tariffs: ‘What the F— Are We Doing?’'Top Chef' judges Kristen Kish, Gail Simmons and Tom Colicchio unpack the surprisingly political 'Destination Canada' season and slam Trump's tariffs

Variety reposted

Alison Herman
@aherman2006.bsky.social

CARÊME is a historical spy drama where the seductive bad boy with tousled hair and a sexy little earring is also a famous irl chef. it might be the most french show of all time: variety.com/2025/tv/revi...

variety.comSexy Chef Spy Drama ‘Carême’ Is Flirty, Fun and Oh-So-French: TV ReviewThe origin story of legendary chef Marie-Antoine Carême, now a flirty and fun series on Apple TV+ starring Benjamin Voisin, is incredibly French.
Variety
@variety.com

Trump White House Blasts Amazon’s Reported Plans to List Cost of Tariffs on Products a ‘Hostile and Political Act’; Company Says It’s ‘Not Going to Happen’ variety.com/2025/digital...

variety.comTrump White House Blasts Amazon’s Reported Plans to List Cost of Tariffs on Products a ‘Hostile and Political Act’; Company Says It’s ‘Not Going to Happen’Amazon's reported plan display the cost of President Trump's tariffs on products drew condemnation from the White House.

Variety reposted

Brian Steinberg
@bristei.bsky.social

The executive producer of 60 Minutes, Bill Owens, said he would step down from his role as CBS News parent Paramount Global grapples with a lawsuit from President Trump that it wants to end in order to move forward with an acquisition by Skydance Media variety.com/2025/tv/news...

variety.com‘60 Minutes’ Chief Quits, Citing Interference from ParamountBill Owens, the executive producer of "60 MInutes," said he would quit the show rather than allow Paramount Global to interfere with its independence