Dealing with mr x

Microsoft ’s proposed $69B acquisition of Activision could bring harm to the UK’s 45M-strong gaming community, the nation’s competition body has ruled. In a provisional finding delivered in the past hour, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said that Microsoft “buying one of the world’s most important game publishers would reinforce [its] strong position and substantially reduce the competition that Microsoft would otherwise face in the cloud gaming market in the UK.” Both companies can respond to the ruling, which will conclude in April. Microsoft already accounts for an estimated 60% to 70% of global cloud gaming services, said the ruling, and corners the market in other ways via its ownership of Xbox, Windows and Azure. A small number of Activision’s flagship games such as Call of Duty play an important role in driving competition between consoles, added the CMA, which said Xbox and Playstation’s competition would “weaken competition” and “in turn … [Read more...] about Microsoft Activision Deal Could Bring Harm To UK Gaming Community, Rules Regulator

Paramount and Prime Video have struck a Star Trek deal for the former’s international streamer outside Canada. Previous seasons of Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Lower Decks will feature on the streamer later this month, while the third and final season of Picard will premiere day and date with the U.S. in Latin America on February 16 and in the UK, Australia, Italy, France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland on February 17. South Korea will premiere at a later date. In addition to airing on Paramount+ , Picard will also stream on Prime Video outside of the U.S. and Canada, while in Canada it is available on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave. The move is a major coup for Paramount+, which is in the process of building up its streamer outside of the U.S. Star Trek: Picard features Patrick Stewart reprizing his iconic role as Jean-Luc Picard, which he played for seven seasons on The Next Generation . LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, … [Read more...] about Paramount+ & Prime Video Strike International ‘Star Trek’ Deal

EXCLUSIVE : Cohen Media Group has acquired all North American distribution rights to filmmaker Mark Cousins ’ Alfred Hitchcock doc My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock . The film premiered at Telluride and examines the Psycho and Vertigo director’s vast body of work, exploring his techniques, themes and obsessions. The plan is for a theatrical release later this year. Cousins, who utilizes actor and impressionist Alistair McGowan to portray Hitch in voiceover, connects the stylistic dots running through the director’s 50-plus films, from revered classics like North by Northwest, Psycho and Rear Window to less frequently discussed but intriguing works such as The Paradine Case, Sabotage and more, stretching all the way back to his silent films. The deal, announced by Cohen Media Group Chairman and CEO Charles S. Cohen, was negotiated by CMG Senior Vice President Robert Aaronson and Cleo Veger, Head Sales at London-based film sales company Dogwoof. Among … [Read more...] about Mark Cousins’ Alfred Hitchcock Documentary Gets North American Deal

EXCLUSIVE : Kino Lorber has acquired all North American distribution rights to Four Quartets , the film version of the Ralph Fiennes -starring stage adaptation of T.S. Eliot’s seminal poem. Directed by Sophie Fiennes, the film will get its U.S. premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival later this week followed by a theatrical release this spring. One of the giants of modern literature, the poet, playwright, critic, and editor T.S. Eliot is best known as one of the central figures of the Modernist movement in poetry. Consisting of four poems published over a six-year period – Burnt Norton, East Coker, The Dry Salvages , and Little Gidding , each titled after the landscape that inspired their writing – Four Quartets is widely considered Eliot’s masterpiece and the culminating achievement of his career as a poet, offering four interwoven meditations on the nature of time and the quest for spiritual enlightenment. Following the completion of Four Quartets … [Read more...] about Ralph Fiennes’ ‘Four Quartets’ Gets North American Distribution Deal Ahead Of Stateside Bow At Santa Barbara

EXCLUSIVE : Renowned documentarian Lisa Cortés has entered into a first-look development agreement with the Museum of the City of New York , the goal being to hone documentary IP based on the museum’s exhibitions. News of the deal — initiated by producer Jon Sechrist — follows the Sundance world premiere of Cortés’ latest critically acclaimed feature doc, Little Richard: I Am Everything , which was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize in U.S. Documentary Competition and sold to Magnolia Pictures. Cortés will now look to build a creative pipeline from MCNY’s 100 years of exhibitions to the screen, with plans for projects on food, social justice, music, and more. The first being made under the deal is a docuseries based on Gingerbread NYC: The Great Borough Bake-Off , an exhibition inviting bakers from every borough to design New York City-inspired gingerbread creations. Cortés will develop and produce all projects through her New York-based production company Cortés … [Read more...] about ‘Little Richard: I Am Everything’s Lisa Cortés Strikes First-Look Development Deal With Museum Of The City Of New York

Getty Russell Westbrook 's days as a Laker have come to an end -- L.A. just finalized a trade to send the superstar point guard to the Utah Jazz in a three-team deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers are sending Russ and a 2027 first-round pick (1-4 protected) to the Jazz in exchange for D'Angelo Russell , Malik Beasley , and Jarred Vanderbilt , according to Shams Charania . Meanwhile, Utah's Mike Conley Jr . will join Anthony Edwards , Karl-Anthony Towns , and Rudy Gobert in Minnesota ... as well as a second-round pick. Lakers, Jazz and Timberwolves are finalizing trade sending D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt to Los Angeles, Russell Westbrook and first-round pick to Utah and Mike Conley Jr. and second-round pick compensation to Minnesota, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium . — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 9, 2023 @ShamsCharania The Lakers acquired Russ in 2021 in a trade with the … [Read more...] about Russell Westbrook Reportedly Traded To Utah Jazz In Three-Team Deal

NBC has given a pilot order to St. Denis Medical , a half-hour mockumentary-style workplace comedy from the Superstore and American Auto duo of Justin Spitzer and Eric Ledgin . The pilot is produced by Universal Television , a division of Universal Studio Group, where both Spitzer and Ledgin have overall deals. Written by Spitzer and Ledgin, St. Denis Medical is a mockumentary about an underfunded, understaffed Oregon hospital where the dedicated doctors and nurses try their best to treat patients while maintaining their own sanity. Ledgin will also executive produce, as will Spitzer under his Universal TV-based production banner Spitzer Holding Company. Simon Heuer, Head of TV Development at Spitzer Holding Company, will also executive produce. RELATED: 2023 NBC Pilots & Series Orders St. Denis Medical previously received a pilot production commitment from NBC last year. It marks the latest NBC project for Spitzer, whose very first writing credit … [Read more...] about ‘St. Denis Medical’ Comedy From Justin Spitzer & Eric Ledgin Gets Pilot Order At NBC

Whitney director Kevin Macdonald has struck a multi-project deal with rebranded Banijay label Workerbee Group. Macdonald, whose past credits include the celebrated Houston doc, Oscar winner One Day in September and Marley, will work closely with Workerbee’s new Films division to jointly identify premium unscripted projects to collaborate on. The pair have previously collaborated on hit A+E Janet Jackson doc series Janet and the new partnership has already spawned a major feature doc for a streamer, which will be announced shortly. “On a personal level I’m huge fan of Kevin’s approach to storytelling and his partnerships with our lead Director Ben Hirsh have produced our most exciting documentary projects to date,” said Workerbee CEO Rick Murray. “Knowing we are going to forge more high-profile films together is a great way to kick start our Workerbee Films division.” Macdonald added: “I’ve had a rewarding time working with Rick and the Workerbee team … [Read more...] about ‘Whitney’ Director Kevin Macdonald Partners With Rebranded Banijay Label Workerbee Group

Fox will be actively pursuing M&A opportunities now that it won’t be merging with News Corp. Outside shareholders of both of the Murdoch family holdings had protested after patriarch Rupert last fall asked the respective boards to explore a combination . In January, he took that off the table, opening a door to other possibilities. Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch stressed a few times today on the company’s quarterly conference call with Wall Streeters that other deal or deals are likely because “I do think scale is important.” Fox reported strong numbers for its fiscal second quarter and a solid balance sheet. Its defined focus on sports and news helped boost ad revenue in a soft market, and has been keeping the stock a favorite with investors. But it’s smaller than some of its media peers since it was spun out on its own after the rest of 21st Century Fox was sold to Disney for years ago. Major media transactions slowed after Amazon/MGM and Warner Bros. Discovery, … [Read more...] about Fox Eyes M&A After Merger With News Corp. Scrapped: “Scale Is Important” – Lachlan Murdoch

Something Rotten ! , the hit 2015 Broadway comedy set during the time of Shakespeare, includes an early scene in which a rival of the Bard is encouraged to add tunes to his plays and invent something called “the musical.” The rival playwright quickly dismisses the idea before enthusiastically breaking into song. In a new trailer for Hulu’s Mel Brooks comedy History of The World Part II , Shakespeare is seen leading what appears to be a writers room when one of the scribes suggests adding music to his plays. Shakespeare dismisses the idea before enthusiastically breaking into song. Something Rotten! book writer John O’Farrell took note of the similarities in a series of tweets this morning, saying the Brooks’ project “hath ripped us off.” O’Farrell, who also wrote the book for the Mrs. Doubtfire musical, tweets: Forsooth, Mel Brooks’ new film hath ripped us off Something Rotten! Our premise was ‘What if they came up with the idea of the musical in … [Read more...] about Musical Writer Smells ‘Something Rotten’ With ‘History Of The World Part II’ Shakespeare Scene