Warner Bros. Discovery Looking To Bundle Max With Other Streaming Services In Parts Of Europe And Africa

Following the first phase of the recent WBD’s European roll out of Max, Leah Hooper Rosa, EVP of EMEA Streaming, the company’s goal is to operate across all major markets, including the UK.

She said she expects to see more conversations in the future about launching Max in the UK. WBD previously announced it plans to launch service Max in the country by 2026. The media and entertainment powerhouse currently has a long-running licensing partnership with UK pay TV operator Sky, for its HBO content which runs until the end of 2025.

Hooper Rosa, said, “We’re in the game now of we want to be a top three global streaming service. That’s our ambition.”

“We’re on a multi-year journey in terms of our Max roll out across Europe. We’re actively in conversations. Our CEO and Gerhard Zeiler (president of WBD International)  have also shared with partners and working out what that would look like,” she added.

Referring to the company’s recently partnership with Disney to offer a bundle including Disney+, Hulu and Max in the US, Hooper Rosa said – “it’s natural that we see those types of things move into Europe”.

The streamer has launched across Europe in partnership with telcos and pay TV provider in select regions.

“We haven’t seen too many types of those relationships yet in Europe with other streamers doing streaming bundling. But I think there is an opportunity for that in the future and we’ll see how consumers react to that,” she added.

Max debuted in Iberia, the Nordic markets and parts of central and eastern Europe earlier this month, as part of a staggered roll-out for simplicity, said the WBD exec. Further launches are planned for France, Poland, the Netherland and Belgium June.

Currently the streamer is available in 20 countries, including Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Andorra, Bosnia & Herzegovnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia.

At present, WBD will only introduce tis Max’s ad-supported subscription plan in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Romania, Poland, France and Belgium.

For their strategy in Europe she explained, “its really a combination of the maturity of the ad market in those regions and the of maturity of our business because we need to be able to sell ads or to be able to have the capability to work with a partner.”

Max also offers a sports add-on, providing coverage of major international and European sports including Australian Open, Roland-Garros, The Championships, Wimbledon, US Open, Giro d’Italia, La Vuelta a España, Tour de France, and every major winter sports World Championship and World Cup events.

As part of the move, Hooper Rosa said it will be scaling back its content across its other streaming services including discovery+ where Max is present, which was the streaming home for WBD’s sports content across the company’s European markets.

“Max is our flagship streaming service,” she said. “So what we’re doing now is a  wind down across Europe of our other streaming services. It’s really on a market by market basis of how we’re managing that transition.”

Warner Bros. Discovery Hinting At More Mergers And Acquisitions Through Interviews

Warner Bros. Discovery, just over two years after closing the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, will be “opportunistic” about seeking M&A deals in the next two or three years, president and CEO David Zaslav said.

“I think some companies will be for sale,” Zaslav said, speaking Thursday at the Bernstein 40th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference in New York. “We can be opportunistic but we’re going to be very disciplined.”

“I think there’s likely going to be some consolidation. There are a lot of players. There are a lot of players that are losing a lot of money,” Zaslav said. “One of the reasons why we really fought to drive our free cash flow and pay down our debt is to be in a position — as we roll out globally, as we fight to build our business — that we’re a healthy company.”

Speaking of losing money, Warner Bros. Discovery reported full-year 2023 revenue of $41.3 billion, down 4% on a pro-forma basis, and a net loss of $3.13 billion (versus a net loss of $5.36 billion on a pro-forma basis in 2022). The media conglomerate during the first quarter of 2024 repaid $1.1 billion of debt to end the quarter with $43.2 billion of gross debt.

“Over the next two to three years, I expect that there’s going to be some opportunities,” Zaslav said. “There’ll be some players that want to get out of the business, that will look to consolidate their streaming businesses with others. And so I think we will look to be opportunistic during that time,” he said, adding that he believes there will be 4-5 dominant global streaming platforms as things shake out.

“The global nature of this business is going to require a number of players to decide whether they want to go it alone,” according to Zaslav. He said “consolidation can happen in a lot of different ways,” including through bundling — such as WBD and Disney’s forthcoming Disney+/Hulu/Max bundle — and he also suggested “over the long term some of the smaller players in streaming will end up wanting to be part of a bigger global organization.”

Regarding Paramount Global — which has been in talks about a potential sale to Skydance Media and has been reviewing a joint bid from Sony Pictures-Apollo — Zaslav didn’t address WBD’s recent interest in exploring a merger with the company, but he commented in a lightning-round Q&A about Paramount, “Great storytelling heritage.” Zaslav met briefly late last year with Paramount’s then-CEO Bob Bakish to size up a potential merger but those talks didn’t continue.

Skydance Sweetens Offer For Paramount Global

David Ellison’s Skydance has sweetened its offer to acquire Paramount Global, Deadline has learned, in an attempt to make it more palatable to the company’s Class B stockholders after they trashed the outlines of a previous deal and threatened to sue.

Ellison’s original offer was to buy out Par’s controlling shareholder Shari Redstone for a significant premium, resulting in a windfall for her, and then merge Skydance into Paramount keeping the combined company public. Stockholders wanted to be bought out at a premium as well.

Skydance, backed by Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital, sweetened the offer once late last month — offering to buy out a certain number of Class A voting shares from stockholders other than Redstone — as an exclusive monthlong negotiating period with Par ended. But it wasn’t enough to woo holders of the Class B non-voting stock, who are the majority of shareholders.

As the Skydance exclusive talks ended with no deal, Sony jumped in for a $26 billion bid with private equity giant Apollo, that was later downsized in some fashion as Sony signed a non-disclosure agreement with with Par about two weeks ago that would let SPE access Par’s books and talks to start in earnest. Those conversations were not exclusive, however, and Skydance remained very much in the mix, continuing to talk with Par as well.

The issue for Sony is not shareholders but regulators. Foreign ownership rules likely prevent Sony from owning CBS broadcast assets, which likely why its offer became more targeted. But it might not be a cakewalk to merge two major studios either. Skydance is safer, more certain on the regulatory front and wouldn’t require a prolonged review amid possible opposition that can drag a deal out and sometimes end without one.

All offers are being evaluated by a special committee of Paramount’s board of directors. Three on that committee — Dawn Ostroff, Nicole Seligman and Frederick Terrell — will formally exit the board as of the company’s annual shareholder meeting next Tuesday. Another board memeber, Robert Kieger, will also be leaving. Par announced the upcoming departures — which will leave it with a greatly downsized board — earlier this year to widespread speculation on what it meant for a deal.

Par hasn’t said whether the three had continued to serve actively on the pared down committee after their pending departures were announced or what the committee composition is now, or will be after the meeting where shareholders vote for directors among other issues on the agenda. The committee in any case is just there for a recommendation, with Redstone the decider and, some feel, a wildcard.

Says one source with knowledge of the dealings, “At the end of the day, whatever the committee recommends to Shari, it’s up to her to decide. A deal’s not a deal without her.”

Hollywood insiders favor a Skydance deal over a Sony/Apollo takeover of Paramount Global. The reduction of a major studio strikes fear throughout the exhibition sector that fewer event films would exist in the long run, the sector currently weathering the aftermath of Covid, two strikes and a Disney-Fox merger which has reduced the supply of movies at multiplexes.

Cancelled Movies: Ghostbusters Film Starring Chris Rock, Chris Farley And Ben Stiller Was Reportedly In Development

Everytime there's rumors of a new "Ghostbusters" film, fans always draw up their dream cast line-up. Prior to the release of Paul Feig's 2016 reboot, fans were clamoring for "Ghostbusters" team that included comedy's top stars of the time (particularly from the Judd Apatow-verse) like Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, and Paul Rudd, among others. While we know that film never came to be, we did get a stacked cast of top comedians including Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones for the 2016 version of the movie, and Paul Rudd did end up in the cast of 2021's "Ghostbusters: Afterlife."

In the '90s, when a script called "Ghostbusters 3: Hellbent" was going around Hollywood, franchise co-creator and Egon Spengler himself, Harold Ramis, had a dream cast in mind for who he thought would take up the mantle for a new generation in that decade. According to an interview with Ramis on Morewhatnot, the late filmmaker and funnyman revealed he would have cast Chris Farley, Chris Rock, and Ben Stiller in a "Ghostbusters" for a '90s film. 

It seemed as if Chris Farley had been a part of the new lineup as Ray Stantz's nephew ever since Dan Aykroyd worked with him on "Tommy Boy." Both Chris Rock and Will Smith were talked about at one time or another through the long development of "Ghostbusters 3" for a Winston Zeddemore-type of role. Ben Stiller was a name that came up all the way through 2005 when the script was still being talked about.

The Ghostbusters Go to Hell concept could never get to the production stage

The sequel Chris Farley, Chris Rock, and Ben Stiller could have starred in would have been called "Ghostbusters 3: Hellbent" and was essentially a concept that featured the Ghostbusters going to hell, fighting the devil, and training a new generation to take over their supernatural business. 

Ghostbuster Harold Ramis talked to Morewhatnot about how he envisioned hell in the script. Ramis said, "My concept there was that Hell is a simultaneous reality, it's slightly out of phase with our reality. It's like a strobe, when our reality is on, hell kind of blinks off." He explained (sort of) how the team ends up in hell saying, "So what the Ghostbusters have to do is kind of a hitch step, you know when you try to get in step with somebody. The Ghostbusters had to technically skip one beat and then they're in Hell." 

The '90s concept was thrown out after nearly two decades of being stuck in development hell. Ramis directed a Judd Apatow-produced comedy called "Year One" in 2009 which starred Michael Cera and Jack Black, who of course also came up as names for Next-Gen Ghostbusters, from "The Office" writers Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg. Ramis brought on the writing duo to work on a new script for "Ghostbusters 3" Ramis said that he was interested in a new cast for the movie saying that he wanted to, "Bring a fresh generational spin to it. We were voices for our generation, popular voices, but this generation sounds different." "Ghostbusters 3" never ended up materializing, but fans now have "Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2" to look forward to later in 2023.

Credits: Looper

"The Cursed Atuk": A Script That Claimed The Lives Of 6 Actors

I want to dive into something a little different today but something super spooky. Outside of the horror genre, I love everything paranormal. I’m a big believer in ghosts and have had too many experiences to count. So I thought it would be fun to bring a little paranormal element to Horror Bound. Why? Because it’s my site and I feel like it. That’s the benefit of being the owner….ya’ll have to read my paranormal ramblings.

But I thought this would be kind of fun because it DOES involve movies. One in particular. And while it’s not a horror movie, it’s a movie that kills people. So it’s kind of like a real life horror movie…

The story is about an Inuit poet from Baffin Island who gets sent to Toronto. A total fish out of water story. But in the movie version, he lives in Alaska and ends up in New York City. A woman visits his town in Alaska, she’s a documentarian. When they leave, he stows away on their plane. When he arrives, he saves a young man who is the son of a powerful real estate mogul and hi-jinks ensue. 

The film adaptation was requested by Norman Jewison (he is a Canadian director and producer who helped start up the CBC, and did a bunch of other wonderful things. He seriously has lived a crazy productive life. Go check him out) in the early 1970’s. Todd Carol wrote the adaptation, and Jewison planned to film it in Canada. 

John Belushi was the first actor to be attached to the film. He was offered the lead role in 1982 and showed a lot of interest in the script. But a few months later, on March 5th, Belushi was tragically found dead in his hotel room at the Chateau Marmont by his trainer Bill Wallace. He was only 33 years old. The cause of death was determined to be drug related, most likely a speedball. His death was investigated by a forensic pathologist and the findings were disputed. 

Two months later, Catherine Evelyn Smith admitted she had been with Belushi on the night of his death and had given him the fatal dosage. The case was reopened and she was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. 

In 1986, after losing their lead, the script went back on the market and this time Sam Kinison got involved. He would play the lead role of Atuk. In 1988 production began and managed 8 days of filming before Kinison halted the production. He didn’t like the way it had turned out and began to rewrite the script. Kinison said that he was given creative control. Apparently he became difficult when the studio got involved. A lawsuit began.

The movie was put on hold again until 1992 when production began to set up again. Unfortunately, during these negotiations, Kinison died.

It was Friday, April 10th, 1992. He was only 38. His vehicle was struck head-on in California by a pickup truck, driven by a 17 year old who was drunk. Kinison was alive after the crash, his best friend Carl LaBove had been driving behind him at the time of the accident. His brother was there as well and they could see no visible injuries. But Kinison began to talk to himself, repeating “I don’t want to die.” It then appeared as if he were talking to someone who wasn’t there, “But why?” “Okay, okay…” and then he lost consciousness. He could not be resuscitated and he died at the scene from internal injuries. His wife who was also in the car survived with a mild concussion. 

The production team refused to give up, they really believed this script was something special. And so, in 1994, they approached John Candy and offered him the role. Candy was thrilled and began to study the script. In March of that year he also died. Candy was working in Mexico and at some point in the night of March 4th, he died of a heart attack. He was 43 years old. 

Candy had reportedly asked his close friend, Michael O’Donoghue, to also read the script and perhaps join the cast. In November of that same year, he also passed away. He had a history of chronic migraines and died from a cerebral hemorrhage at 54 years old. 

1997 rolls around and the film surfaces again. Atuk was offered to Chris Farley. Farley was aware that his idol Belushi was once offered the part and so he was intrigued, and expressed an interest. But, much like his idol, Farley also died young, and the same age of 33. A few months after reading the script, on December 18th, Farley was found dead by his younger brother in his apartment. He died of a drug overdose. A speedball. Just like Belushi.

Farley, much like Candy, also introduced his friend Phil Hartman to the script. 5 months after the tragic death of Farley, Hartman’s wife murdered Phil in cold blood. His wife, Brynn Hartman, got into a heated argument with Phil after he threatened to leave her if she started using drugs again. At 3am Brynn entered the bedroom and around 3am shot Phil twice in the head and once in his side. She drove to a friends house and confessed to the murder, the friend didn’t believe her so the two of them drove back to the house. The friend saw the body and called the police. As the police arrived and escorted the children out of the home, Brynn locked herself in the bedroom and shot herself, committing suicide. 

And so, Atuk sits unmade and untouched for years. Some believe in the curse, some don’t. I’m not sure why no one is questioning the fact that a bunch of white men were being cast as an Inuit...but that’s a whole other side of Hollywood.

Who knows if the script will ever come out of the dark and attempt to be made again? But I really hope it doesn’t. That’s a long history of bad luck (and whitewashing) that I wouldn’t want to tamper with.

Credits: Horrorbound

Behind The Scenes Look Into One Of WWE's Most Controversial Figures, Chris Benoit

It can be hard to think about the life of Chris Benoit without thinking of the events of the final three days of his life. The tragedy of the Chris Benoit murder/suicide was perhaps the biggest scandal in wrestling history. According to Chris Jericho on "Talk Is Jericho," the surrounding aftermath of the controversy almost sent WWE, and the wrestling industry as a whole, out of business.

Before those final three days, he was considered to be one of the best wrestlers who ever lived. He was a bona fide top star, a future Hall Of Famer, a well-respected veteran, and many of his peers considered him a friend. For many, the tragedy of Benoit's murder/suicide was a shocking event that came out of nowhere. However, with the benefit of hindsight, it seems like there were a lot of strange stories and bizarre occurrences which can now be looked at as warning signs for what was going to happen. Chris Benoit was leading a tragic life a long time before those final three days.

Chris Benoit would punish himself if he made a mistake in the ring

On his own podcast, "Talk Is Jericho," Chris Jericho told a bizarre story about working with Chris Benoit in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. During a tag match, Jericho slightly botched a spin kick, with Benoit selling a move that had barely touched him. The spot would have happened so fast that barely anybody would have noticed anyway, but the imperceptible mistake weighed heavily on Benoit.

Talking about finding Benoit backstage after the match, Jericho said on "Talk Is Jericho," "After the match was done I went looking for him. I couldn't find him anywhere. I found him in the boiler room doing squats. And I said, 'what are you doing?' And he said, 'you know I never should have bumped off that, that was so unprofessional of me and it was such a bad rookie mistake, I had to do squats.' He did 500 squats as like purging himself for making that mistake ... You know, when you hear things like that then you kinda equate it to the last few days. There was a lot of issues with him."

It goes without saying that this is very odd behavior, that Benoit thought he would have to put himself through physical pain because of a botched spot nobody even noticed. It shows Benoit's mindset even as a younger man.

Chris Benoit's infidelity 

In 1997, Chris Benoit started dating Nancy Toffoloni, a fellow talent best known in WCW as Woman. How Chris and Nancy got together is perhaps a story that could only happen in the wrestling business. Toffoloni was married to Kevin Sullivan at the time, who was Benoit's boss as head of WCW Creative. Sullivan booked the storyline of his own wife starting an onscreen relationship with Benoit. Much to his surprise, this storyline became a reality and Toffoloni started dating Benoit in real life. It has become wrestling legend that Sullivan booked his own divorce.

That wasn't the only time infidelity would plague Benoit's life, however. In documents featured by the Fayetteville Daily News (via PWInsider), it was revealed that Nancy suspected Benoit of having a relationship with "one of the WWE Divas" months before the tragedy.

A popular fan theory at the time was that this WWE Diva was Victoria. However, Victoria categorically denied these rumors at the time on her MySpace page (via WrestleZone): "A MySpace friend emailed me yesterday to let me know that a wrestling gossip website is claiming that they have an anonymous source or sources that say I was Chris Benoit's secret mistress at the time of his murder-suicide. First let me say, this is absolutely false. I invite the 'reporter' from that website to come to my home city, and I will submit myself to a polygraph."

Benoit was in a terrible car accident with William Regal

William Regal spoke on his podcast "Gentleman Villain" of a terrible car accident he had with both Chris Benoit and Nancy Toffoloni. Regal referred to it as a near death experience for all three of them. It happened as Regal, Benoit and Toffoloni were returning to a hotel from the gym in preparation for the WCW pay per view, Spring Stampede 97.

Regal tells the story of stopping at a stop sign when he noticed a car coming towards them at speed in the rear view mirror. Unable to move, Regal could do nothing as the car slammed into them. Regal said on his podcast, "This car hit me, I have no idea what speed ... it must have hit us that hard ... it flipped onto the grass verge, it flipped my car three times." He considers himself lucky that he survived, and took note of his surroundings: "I was upside down with the roof crushed on my head ... I look across and Chris is hanging with his tongue out, and I look across at Nancy and her eyes are closed. I think they're both dead."

Regal somehow managed to kick his way out of the car and pulled both Chris and Nancy out through the window. Amazingly, both Benoit and Regal wrestled on the pay-per-view that night in spite of the near death experience.

Chris Benoit was a bully to younger WWE talent

Chris Benoit had a long career in wrestling, spanned 22 years. In that time, Benoit often exhibited toxic behavior and was accused of several counts of severe bullying. Current AEW ring announcer Justin Roberts went into detail of these in his autobiography "Best Seat In The House." According to Roberts, on one such occasion, Benoit tackled him to the ground in an airport along with Jaime Noble. Both men put him in a double crossface and refused to let go even after he tapped. The incident left Roberts unable to walk for days afterwards. Oddly, in spite of the bullying behavior to Roberts, Benoit would also treat him with kindness, and often called Roberts' father to check up on him as he was going through cancer treatment.

Another famous example of Benoit's bullying comes with The Miz. Miz said in his "WWE 24" documentary that in 2006 he was eating chicken in the locker room and accidentally got crumbs on a WWE veteran's bag. In turn, Benoit overreacted and confront him saying, "You are not allowed to dress in our locker room. I think you should just stay out of the locker room." Miz was then forced to change and shower elsewhere for seven months, all because Chris Benoit wouldn't let him back in the locker room.

Benoit was always paranoid people were following him

In the weeks and months leading up to Chris Benoit's death, many of his friends were saying that dealing with Benoit was like dealing with a completely different person. On the "Dark Side Of The Ring" episode focusing on Benoit, friends said Benoit was exhibiting extreme paranoia and was starting to obsess over child kidnappings and violent fans, which they say was very out of character for him.

According to "Dark Side Of The Ring," Benoit began to take different routes to the gym every day, as well as different routes home from the airport, fearing he was being followed. Benoit even took different cars with each journey to evade whoever he thought was following him. Speaking on "Talk Is Jericho," Nancy's sister Sandra Toffoloni would go into detail on Benoit's paranoia. "What really became noticeable was a little bit more of — like a sense of — un-safeness and paranoia for the family. He'd just would like, be constantly checking the alarm at night, constantly be checking things, and for himself. He used to be fairly laid back about stuff like that, there was never any issue like that, so when it did start happening I noticed immediately. I still kind of look back on it ... Was it a precursor to everything that happened? I don't know."

Benoit became known as The Crippler because he broke Sabu's neck

In 1994, Chris Benoit started wrestling in ECW, and it was here he would get his most famous moniker, The Crippler. This nickname was cemented when Benoit wrestled Sabu at November 2 Remember 1994. The match, the main event of the show, ended after just two minutes, when Benoit threw Sabu into a face first bump. Sabu miscalculated and tried to change direction mid-air, causing him to land directly on his neck. Sabu broke his neck, causing damage to his spinal cord and nervous system.

According to the book "Ring of Hell," Paul Heyman found Benoit hiding in a closet, rocking and weeping uncontrollably at what had happened. He was terrified that he had crippled Sabu in the ring. Paul Heyman had to physically pick Benoit up and send him to the hospital with Sabu.

The event was clearly traumatic for Benoit. However, Heyman took advantage of the accident and used the footage, which would become infamous and one of the most replayed spots in ECW history, to push Benoit even further, using it to emphasize The Crippler nickname.

Benoit suffered intense grief for Eddie Guerrero

Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero were long-time friends and considered each other to be brothers. Chris Jericho, a friend of both Benoit and Guerrero, said on "Talk Is Jericho" that Eddie's death broke Benoit. Jericho remembers comforting Benoit with a hug at Guerrero's funeral, saying it was "the most desperate, saddest 'I'm hanging on for dear life' hugs that you could ever get."

Benoit's grief for Guerrero was plain to see on the tribute show on "Monday Night Raw," Benoit was visibly crushed, openly weeping on camera. On "Dark Side Of The Ring," it was revealed that Benoit's wife Nancy had told Vickie Guerrero that Eddie's death was "really affecting him in so many ways." Benoit decided to stay out of the public eye after Eddie's death, and even started shutting himself off from his own friends and family. Sandra Toffoloni, Nancy Benoit's sister, revealed on "Dark Side Of The Ring" that Benoit would go months without talking to his own family and that he had started a journal to work through his depression at losing Eddie, but it was all too late.

Chris Benoit wanted to open a wrestling school after Eddie died

Upon the death of Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit was emotionally distraught and was even considering quitting WWE altogether. Sandra Toffoloni spoke on "Talk Is Jericho" that Chris Benoit was scared of moving on and leaving WWE, as wrestling was all he had ever known. Sandra said that Nancy was ready to move on but Chris Benoit was hesitant, "She was ready for the next move, and I don't think that he was, in his mind, physically or emotionally — he was just really scared, so a lot of that boiled over into their personal life."

Chris, led by Nancy, began to consider alternate career options outside of WWE and settled on the idea of starting a wrestling school in Atlanta. The school would have been called Benoit Academy and Chris and Nancy had begun developing business ideas for the school and even had merchandise made. After Eddie's death, Benoit was still heavily involved in WWE — he never took any time off, he was still booked in big storylines and angles, including being booked for an ECW World Championship match on the day he died. Any potential retirement seemed like a long way off.

Chris Benoit abused steroids

At the time of his death, it was revealed the Chris Benoit's body contained 10 times the normal levels of testosterone, which is incredibly high for any normal man, and it is a huge indication that Benoit was abusing steroids at the end of his life. Many wrestlers of Benoit's era have spoken about using steroids, it was just part of the game back then, and Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer (via LA Times) speculated Benoit had abused steroids for 20 years.

Nancy Benoit had a low opinion of the WWE wellness program  In texts found of Benoit's phone, Nancy said, "I will not accept this steroid induced roller coaster ride of emotional abuse ... Ignoring the problem or running away isn't going to help you face it. You need professional (help) and only if you're fully honest about all of it ... Get off the stuff. I'm probably not the only one who can see and we both know the wellness program is a joke." In a criminal case against Dr. Phil Astin, Benoit's personal physician, it was revealed that Astin's prescription to Benoit far exceeded the normal amount for a testosterone disorder and was well above the normal dose. The discovery of Benoit's steroid abuse led many to believe, especially the mainstream media, that "roid rage" was the reason Benoit snapped and murdered his family. However, Benoit's father thinks it was another element of wrestling which was responsible for Benoit's downfall, namely head trauma.

Benoit suffered a lifetime of chronic concussions/CTE

Chris Benoit suffered a number of concussions during his long in-ring career. During his time in the ring, it was not uncommon for wrestlers to take unprotected chair shots to the head, concussion protocols were lax and it wasn't uncommon for wrestlers to take no time off from a concussion. ABC News reports that Benoit himself had told friends that he had suffered "more concussions than he could count." This sloppy protection from concussions is what Benoit's family believes to be the reason for him snapping.

Chris Benoit's father, Michael Benoit, turned over his son's brain to Julian Bailes of the Sports Legacy Institute. Bailes, the head of neurosurgery at West Virginia University, studied Chris Benoit's brain and found that at the time of his death, Benoit had the brain of an 80-year-old suffering from severe Alzheimer's disease. Damage was found in all four lobes of the brain and deep into the brain stem. Bailes told ABC News, "It was extensive throughout Chris' brain. This is something you should never see in a 40-year-old."

Bailes said that while he can't know for sure that this brain damage is the reason Benoit did what he did, he does believe it is the leading cause.

Benoit murdered his wife and child

Over the weekend of June 22nd 2007, Chris Benoit uncharacteristically missed a WWE event, though nobody could have ever imagined that a simple no show would become one of the darkest days in wrestling history.

Late at night on the Friday, Chris Benoit killed his wife Nancy in an upstairs bedroom in their house. Nancy's limbs were bound and her injuries showed that Benoit had pressed his knee into her back while pulling at a cord around her neck, strangling her to death.

The next morning, Benoit drugged his son 7-year-old son Daniel with Xanax, leaving him unconscious, and then Benoit brutally suffocated him.

Benoit left a copy of the bible by each body, which Sandra Toffoloni considered strange on "Talk Is Jericho," as they weren't very religious.

On that Saturday, Benoit talked on the phone to his good friend Chavo Guerrero and told him that Nancy and Daniel were suffering from food poisoning. On "Talk is Jericho," Chavo said something sounded off with Benoit, especially with the way he said goodbye, saying, "Chavo, I love you."

Nancy and Daniel would have both been dead by the time Benoit made that call.

Chris Benoit died of suicide

On June 24th 2007, Chris Benoit died by suicide, creating a noose from the end of a weight machine cord to hang himself. Benoit was found by the police hanging from the pulley cable.

On "Talk Is Jericho," Sandra Toffoloni gave further details of just what Benoit was doing over that horrible weekend. Sandra said that Benoit's computer search history shows he has researched the quickest and easiest way to break a neck. On "Dark Side Of The Ring" it was also revealed Benoit had googled a bible story about the prophet Elijah and, quite morbidly, the resurrecting of a dead boy.

When nobody from WWE had heard from Benoit in over 24 hours, Chavo Guerrero showed the messages he got from Benoit to WWE management, WWE then called the Fayetteville police who discovered the three bodies at the house.

Michael Benoit told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Cageside Seats) that Chris Benoit had left a handwritten suicide note saying, "I'm preparing to leave this Earth."

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

Credits: WrestlingInc.

"The Simpsons": Homer Was Originally Going To Krusty The Clown

There was originally supposed to be a twist on The Simpsons: Krusty the Clown was meant to be Homer Simpson in disguise, but that's not what happened in the end. All 30 seasons of TV's longest-running scripted primetime animated series will be available on Disney+ at launch. This means generations of Simpsons fans can experience one of the greatest TV shows ever from the very beginning - and they'll see just how much The Simpsons has changed since its awkward first season.

Of course, Krusty (voiced by Dan Castellaneta, who is also the voice of Homer) is one of The Simpsons' greatest characters and he's arguably the town of Springfield's biggest celebrity. Krusty hosts The Krusty the Clown Show, the favorite weekday program of Springfield's children. Krusty's show is the home of Itchy & Scratchy cartoons and, as Krusty once bragged, "It's the tightest three hours and ten minutes on TV". Krusty is also Bart Simpson's personal hero; Bart's pure-hearted worship of Krusty defies the realities and many failings of the narcissistic clown. Krusty never seems to remember all the things Bart has done for him like re-ignite his career with Krusty's Komeback Special, serving as his assistant, the "I Didn't Do It! Boy", and reuniting Krusty with his estranged father, Rabbi Krustofsky (Jackie Mason).

The Simpsons' Homer/Krusty Twist Explained

Krusty's first appearance was in The Simpsons short "The Krusty the Clown Show", which aired on The Tracy Ullman Show. Bart attends a taping of Krusty's show but he suspects the clown host isn't the real deal; Simpson yanks off his nose and it's revealed Krusty is an imposter - before a smash cut shows Homer and Marge watching the debacle on TV. But originally, Matt Groening planned for Bart to discover that Homer was Krusty before it was changed. As Groening told EW:

”The original idea behind Krusty the Clown was that he was Homer in disguise, but Homer still couldn’t get any respect from his son, who worshiped Krusty. If you look at Krusty, it’s just Homer with extended hair and a tuft on his head.

This explains the obvious physical resemblance between Homer and Krusty. Groening also said that it was too complicated a story to do during The Simpsons' tumultuous beginnings so they (wisely) dropped the idea and kept Homer and Krusty as separate characters. The Simpsons later did a hilarious spin on Homer being Krusty in season 6 episode, "Homie the Clown", where Homer enrolled in Krusty's Clown College but then the two identical harlequins ended up as targets of Springfield's Mafia because of Krusty's $48 debt to the mob.

The Simpsons Did Something Much Better With Krusty

Dropping the Homer-as-Krusty plot allowed Krusty to become a fan-favorite recurring character. The famous clown went on to become one of The Simpsons' best supporting cast members who has been featured in many great episodes. Moreso, Krusty fulfills an invaluable function in the series by encapsulating every negative stereotype about celebrities, thanks to Krusty's improbable 61 years in show business. This includes Krusty's penchant for slapping his image on any substandard product to support his lavish lifestyle of eating dodo eggs and lighting his cigars with $100 bills.

Krusty's venal nature has also been mined for laughs: In "Bart the Fink", the Clown once faked his death because of his IRS debts and posed as "Rory B. Bellows" until Bart and Lisa goaded him back to bring Krusty because he couldn't stand the idea of not being admired for being famous. When his outdated (and racist) comedy bombs in "The Last Temptation of Krust", Krusty stages a comeback by "telling it like it is", only to immediately sell out when he's offered the chance to be the spokes-clown for the Canyonero. While Homer secretly being Krusty would have been an interesting twist, it can't compare to the dividends reaped by Krusty's many hysterical adventures on The Simpsons over the decades.

Credits: Screenrants

Paramount And Amazon Reportedly Enter Talks For New Streaming Bundle

Recently Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery announced a deal that would see Max, Hulu, and Disney+ bundle. After that Comcast announced a bundle of Peacock, Netflix, and Apple TV+. Now Bloomberg is reporting that Amazon and Paramount are in talks about a possible streaming bundle.

According to the report, Paramount and Amazon are in early talks to offer a bundled version of their streaming service. Paramount already owns multiple streaming services, including Paramount+ and BET+. They could be bundled on their own through Amazon channels or possibly bundled with Amazon’s own streaming services like Amazon Prime Video or MGM+.

The talks are not a done deal, and Bloomberg says it is possible nothing may come from them. Paramount has also reportedly been in talks with Peacock about a bundle option, but no deal has been reached at this time.

Bundles have widely been seen as a quick way for services to gain subscribers. They are also seen as a way to lock in subscribers for longer. Increasingly streaming services are fighting a growing trend of cord cutters rotating streaming services in 2024. This impacts profit, and customers binge everything they want in a month or two instead of keeping a subscription long term. Bundles could tempt customers to be locked in for longer by offering more content.

Sony & Paramount Sign Non-Disclosure Agreement Allowing Deal Talks To Start

Sony has signed an NDA with Paramount Global, a move that will give it access to the books and allow deal talks to move ahead, sources hears.

Sony and private equity giant Apollo kicked things off previously with a preliminary bid of $26 billion, but what’s being contemplated now is not that, but something narrower. A look at the books is necessary to move forward in any case.

The non-disclosure agreement comes two weeks after a Paramount’s month-long exclusive negotiating window with David Ellison’s Skydance ended with no deal but the indie studio still hanging in, still interested.

After a few weeks passed with no Sony NDA, there’s was speculation its interest was waning as it considered the significant regulatory hurdles, and that’s possibly what’s at play in looking for a different kind of deal.

Sony just wants the studio. Some industry players believe Apollo mostly wants the studio lot as a real estate play. Paramount Global’s CBS broadcast assets might need to be sold off. Sony might not be able to own them under foreign ownership regulations, and may not want to. As things stand, Apollo’s current station holdings would put it over the Congressionally mandated broadcast cap.

Hollywood values the lot and is backing Ellison, although some question the circa $5 billion valuation put on the company as part of a proposed two-step deal. Skydance said its latest capital raise in the fall of 2022 valued it at over $4 billion. A merger of two studios envisioned in a Sony deal is, of course, unpopular with the town that saw downsizing when Disney acquired 20th Century Fox. Combining another two studios also poses a regulatory risk.

Paramount Global shareholders, on the other side, kind of hate the Skydance deal since it leaves the company public with the bulk of proceeds going to Redstone to acquire her controlling stake. Ellison, backed by Larry Ellison and Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital, sweetened the pot once offering to buy out some shares from common shareholders. It did not appease them and its not sure anything would. It’s also not clear if they have a case to sue as they’ve been threatening legal action from day one. The Skydance deal would keep the company together at least at first and inject fresh capital into highly indebted company. Jeff Shell would step in to run things under David Ellison.

Shareholders loved the Sony-Apollo $26 billion cash offer. It will be interesting to see what they think with that no longer on the table.

Disney, Fox and WBD Unveil Name of Sports-Streaming Venture: Venu Sports

The joint venture of Disney/ESPN, Fox Corp. and Warner Bros. Discovery to package together a sports streaming bundle has a name — Venu Sports.

“We are excited to officially introduce Venu Sports, a brand that we feel captures the spirit of an all-new streaming home where sports fans outside of the traditional pay TV ecosystem can experience an incredible collection of live sports, all in one place,” Pete Distad, CEO of Venu Sports, said in a statement. “As preparations for the platform continue to accelerate, we are singularly focused on delivering a best-in-class product for our target audience, built from the ground up using the latest technologies to engage and entertain discerning sports fans wanting one-stop access to live games.”

Disney, Fox and WBD unveiled their partnership in February, positioning the new streaming bundle as a way to reach consumers who don’t subscribe to pay TV. It’s pegged to debut in the fall of 2024. The trio in March announced the hiring of Distad, who worked for a decade at Apple and most recently was responsible for Apple TV+ business, operations and global distribution. Distad is based out of the Venu Sports offices in L.A.

Pricing and a specific launch date haven’t been announced for Venu, which will combine ESPN+ with the three companies’ linear TV networks that carry sports programming (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network, TNT, TBS and truTV).

When the joint venture was announced, some had jokingly dubbed it “Spulu,” a mash-up of “sports” and “Hulu,” which had originally been formed as a JV among TV broadcasters.

The venture also launched a new website at venu.com. A notice at the bottom of the landing page says, “Launch is conditional on receiving regulatory approval and is expected for Fall 2024.” The site’s terms of service indicate that it’s operated by “Rookie Enterprises, LLC,” a subsidiary of Fox Corp. In announcing the new name, the three companies also noted that the JV is still pending the “finalization of definitive agreements amongst the parties.”

The Justice Department reportedly has planned to review the three-way venture to look at anticompetitive implications, and last month two leading congressional Democrats expressed concerns that the JV may “result in higher prices for consumers and less fair licensing terms for upstream sports leagues and downstream video distributors.” Meanwhile, streaming TV provider Fubo filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block the JV service’s launch, alleging the venture violates antitrust laws. On May 2, Fubo, DirecTV, Dish Network, Newsmax and others sent a letter to members of Congress calling for hearings on the state of competition in the pay-TV market, specifically calling out the Disney-Fox-WBD joint venture as “rais[ing] serious competition concerns that call for Congress’s immediate oversight.”

Venu (pronounced “venue”) will be made available directly to consumers via a new app, the companies said. Subscribers will also have the ability to purchase it in a bundle, including with Disney+, Hulu or Max.

The JV’s new name and brand identity were developed in partnership with R/GA, a global design and advertising firm. According to a spokesperson for the company, the Venu Sports name “takes inspiration from where live sports lives: the stadiums, arenas, speedways, octagons, courts, rinks, ballparks and more, where fans come to watch and connect with the action.”

‘The Thundermans Return’ Gets Spinoff Series At Nickelodeon With Original Series Cast Members

The superhero Thundermans are off to solve more crimes. Nickelodeon Studios has given a green light to a new spinoff series based on characters from the hit live-action movie The Thundermans Return.

The spinoff series will follow Phoebe and Max, played by original series cast members Kira Kosarin and Jack Griffo, who are sent undercover to handle a new threat in the seaside town of Secret Shores and bring Chloe (Maya Le Clark) along to develop her superhero talent. Production will begin in Vancouver in August, with premiere details to be announced at a later date.

In the spinoff, Chloe (Le Clark) forms a bond with two classmates while they investigate suspicious activity coming from the local school, who don’t realize their new friend has secret powers. As the danger increases, the Thunderman trio must stay in town indefinitely, leaving the squabbling twins in charge of raising their younger sister.

The Thundermans Return feature-length movie. based on the hit live-action superhero comedy series The Thundermans, follows the superpowered family as they attempt to live a normal life while using their superhuman abilities to stop crime. It premiered earlier this year to stellar ratings, ranking as the number-one entertainment telecast for the year to date in Live+3 across all cable among Kids 6-11. It reached 1.6 million Total Viewers throughout its premiere weekend (March 7-10) across airings on Nickelodeon and Nick At Nite (4 telecasts).

The Thundermans premiered on Nickelodeon in October 2013 and wrapped its four-season run in 2018, ranking as the number-one series across all TV among Kids 2-11 and Kids 6-11. Created and executive produced by three-time Emmy-winner Jed Spingarn, the scripted half-hour series follows superhero twins with opposite personalities, Phoebe and Max Thunderman, as they navigate their way through school, friends and a family of extraordinary superheroes, all while keeping their true identities a secret. .

The series is executive produced by Jed Spingarn (Big Time Rush, Jimmy Neutron) and Sean W. Cunningham & Marc Dworkin (The Thundermans, Julie and the Phantoms). Kira Kosarin is executive producing. Jack Griffo is also an executive producer on the series. Production of the series for Nickelodeon Studios is overseen by Shauna Phelan, Head of Nickelodeon & Awesomeness Live-Action. Brian Banks serves as Nickelodeon’s Executive in Charge of Production.

Mikey's Murphy's Law/Milo Murphy's Law | Pitch Pilot | Disney Channel

Similar to the original pitch of Phineas and Ferb, the pilot of Mikey Murphy's Law (labeled "Mikey's Law") was a storyboard pitch of what would eventually become the first episode of Milo Murphy's Law, "Going the Extra Milo". It was leaked on April 26, 2024, alongside several other pilots from other Disney Television Animated shows.

The plot is relatively the same as that of "Going the Extra Milo" (barring a few lines that went unused, as well as Milo being named Mikey back then), but includes a couple of design changes. Most notably, Zack used to look completely different. Zack was initially of Caucasian ethnicity with a small, round nose, angular cheeks, and two wavy, angular plucks of hair from a widow's peak, as opposed to the spiky, slicked hairstyle he'd have in the actual series. Interestingly, this design appears to be later used for the final design of Kevin Grant-Gomez, one of the main characters for Dan Povenmire's later show, Hamster & Gretel. Bradley's design was also notably different, having a shorter, wider head, curly hair and big, half-round glasses, looking notably similar to Carl of Phineas and Ferb.

"Wizards Beyond Waverly Place": Disney Channel Reveals Official Title For Upcoming Spinoff To Wizards Of The Waverly Place

Selena Gomez revealed the new Wizards Of Waverly Place spinoff will be known as Wizards Beyond Waverly Place during Disney’s upfront Tuesday. She also shared two first-look images you can find below.

The photos give fans a look at grownup Alex and Justin Russo, played by Gomez and David Henrie, who are reprising their roles. A secondary image introduces the spinoff’s new characters: Billie, portrayed by Janice LeAnn Brown, and the Russo family, played by Mimi Gianopulos (Giada Russo), Alkaio Thiele (Roman Russo) and Max Matenko (Milo Russo).

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place follows an adult Justin Russo, who has chosen to lead a normal, mortal life with his family, Giada, Roman and Milo. When Justin’s sister Alex brings Billie to his home seeking help, Justin realizes he must dust off his magical skills to mentor the wizard-in-training while also juggling his everyday responsibilities — and safeguarding the future of the Wizard World.

Premiere Date: From Disney Branded Television, the series is slated to premiere on Disney Channel and Disney+ later this year.

It was revealed in January that Disney Branded Television had greenlit a pilot which was followed by a series pick up in March.

Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas serve as writers and executive producers, along with Gary Marsh, Gomez and Henrie. Andy Fickman directed and executive-produced the pilot and will direct multiple episodes.

Raven's Home Cancelled After 6 Seasons On Disney Channel, Pilot Spinoff Titled Alice In The Palace In Development

Raven-Symoné is extending her relationship with Disney, which she has called home for many years, with a new multi-year overall deal at Disney Branded Television. Under the pact, she will produce, direct, and develop projects across linear and streaming, with a focus on multi-cam comedies.

First off, she will executive produce and direct sitcom Alice in the Palace, which has received a pilot order. It is an Alice-centered spinoff from Raven-Symoné’s Disney Channel multi-camera comedy series Raven’s Home, which will not return for a seventh season. Its most recent Season 6 concluded its run in September 2023.

The deal with Raven-Symoné, which also includes continued acting and hosting opportunities, and the order for Alice in the Palace fits into Disney Branded Television’s strategy of building a new Disney Channel lineup of multi-camera sitcoms. In doing that, the company’s executive team has been leaning into classic Disney Channel IP. The Raven’s Home spinoff follows the pilot order for a Wizards Of Waverly Place followup, executive produced by Selena Gomez, which went to series titled Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.

Alice in the Palace picks up when Alice (Mykal-Michelle Harris), Raven’s young cousin, returns to England and reunites with Duchess Clementine (also portrayed by Harris), a young royal who looks exactly like her. In the process, Clementine gets a taste of the fun side of “normal” life, while Alice gets a taste of the finer side of “regal” life.

Raven’s Home developers Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas will write the pilot and executive produce.

“Raven is a true trailblazer who constantly pushes creative boundaries in acting, producing, and directing,” said Ayo Davis, president, Disney Branded Television. “For six incredible seasons, Raven’s Home has been a cornerstone series for Disney Channel, bringing joy, laughter, and tackling real-life issues in a relatable and meaningful way for kids and families. We are delighted to continue our close relationship with Raven for many years to come, starting with new spin-off Alice in the Palace.“

Raven’s Home, a spinoff from Raven-Symoné’s teen sitcom That’s So Raven, earned five Children’s and Family Emmy nominations during its run. Raven-Symoné’s credits also include Disney Channel original movies The Cheetah Girls and Cheetah Girls 2, which she starred in and executive produced. On Broadway, she appeared in Sister Act, and she also starred in feature films A Girl Like Grace, College Road Trip, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, Dr. Dolittle and Dr. Dolittle 2. In addition to her work as star, executive producer and director on Raven’s Home, she’s directed episodes of Disney Channel series Sydney to the Max and Pretty Freekin Scary.   

“Disney Channel has been the canvas for my creative expressions since I was 15 years old,” added Raven-Symoné. “After years of telling stories filled with heart, laughter, and togetherness, I’m excited to embark on the next chapter of this creative journey alongside my Disney family.”  

Raven-Symoné has been honored by the NAACP Image Awards, Daytime Emmy Awards, Gracie Allen Awards, NAMIC Vision Awards, Teen Choice Awards, BET Comedy Awards, Kids’ Choice Awards and Black Reel Awards. She is repped by Verve and The Pacella Law Group.  

Development Alert (Rumour): Invincible Fight Girl Commissioned By Cartoon Network Might Be Heading To Adult Swim

Invincible Fight Girl is an upcoming American animated action-comedy television series created by DC Super Hero Girls' Juston Gordon-Montgomery. It follows Andy, a young girl who dreams of becoming the greatest pro wrestler of all time.

Assuming the wrestler alias "Fight Girl", Andy sets out into the bizarre and colorful Wrestling World, determined to make a name for herself. Along the way, she meets cynical retired champ, Aunt P; the endearingly innocent Mikey, a great wrestling analyst-in-the-making; and the unscrupulous Craig, who doesn’t so much love wrestling as he does scheming ways to profit off it. 

The series was greenlit by Cartoon Network in 2021 alongside Unicorn Warriors Eternal and My Adventures With Superman. It had since then through several delays due to corporate restructure which had several already completed films and series being erased from existence. 

There were others like Batman: Caped Crusader and Merry Little Batman that were shipped to rival platforms, Amazon Prime Video. With some positioning being done to Cartoon Network as shows like Unicorn Warriors Eternal and My Adventures With Superman fold under Adult Swim.

Cartoon Network is no stranger to character driven content as there was Samurai Jack, Ben 10 and Adventure Time. But for some reason, it seems like corporate is trying to keep such content away from the channel and focus more on comedic shows. 

During the week, a user on X had mentioned Invincible Fight Girl was being previewed on Adult Swim due to its wrestling plot. This means Tiny Toons Looniversity would be the only original program on the network in 2024 as the latter Inyanu: Child Of Wonder and Totally Spies! are licensed. 

Although, there hasn't been official confirmation it wouldn't seem far fetched considering how originals on both Cartoon Network and Cartoonito has been screwed over in the last months.

Interesting Fact: Boomerang Would Have Become A Preschool Channel By 2005 Or 2006

Tickle U was Cartoon Network's first attempt at a rival offering with Nick Jr. and Disney Jr. It debuted as a programming block on August 22, 2005 to January 13, 2006 with shows like Peppa Pig, Gerald McBoing Boing, Firehouse Tales and Little Robots.

Very little was known at the time at what led to inevitable demise of various theories did come to mind. One was the rival offering viewed on the as mentioned Nick Jr. and Disney Jr. brands with the other likely dealing with the content in general. 

Tickle U aired lesser known shows and the fact that Warner Bros. Discovery didn't browse their archives at the time. They had A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, Krypto The Superdog and Baby Looney Tunes all of which never made it to the preschool block.

However people familiar with the matter had outlined that Warner Bros. Discovery had considered making Boomerang a preschool channel. This would be through Tickle U trademark and with the channel likely to be revolvant on its content.

Despite it not materializing, Boomerang did however did start airing more modernized shows in the later years like Krypto The Superdog and Gerald McBoing Boing. It wasn't long till Warner Bros. Discovery's next attempt at the preschool market, Cartoonito.

Cartoonito was a household trademark in the UK before expanding to other parts of Europe. It formed part of Boomerang's family lineup with shows like Baby Looney Tunes, Interstellar Ella and Lu Lu And The Bally Bunch before taking up the rest of the channel. 

Warner Bros. Discovery And Weigel Broadcasting To Rollout New Children's Channel, MeTV Toons

Classic TV network MeTV is turning its cartoon block into a new network. Owner Weigel Broadcasting Co. announced Wednesday that it will launch MeTV Toons as a new national TV network focused on classic animation, “from Hollywood-era shorts to made-for-television favorites.”

MeTV Toons, which launches June 25, is a collab between Weigel and Warner Bros. Discovery, which has licensed content featuring its animated characters including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Scooby Doo, Tom & Jerry, George Jetson, Top Cat, Yogi Bear, Popeye, Johnny Quest and Fred Flintstone. (MeTV already airs a daily program, “Toon In With Me,” which features a heavy emphasis on Warner bros. animated fare.)

Weigel touts MeTV Toons as “the only TV network destination dedicated exclusively to classic animation” — as Warner Bros. Discovery’s Cartoon Network companion Boomerang, which also runs old Looney Tunes, “The Jetsons,” “The Flintstones,” “Scooby-Doo” and Popeye shorts, also runs some more recent, post-2000 cartoon episodes.

Beyond Warner Bros. titles, MeTV Toons will also feature animated content from other studios and distributors, with properties including Rocky and Bullwinkle, Woody Woodpecker, Casper, Betty Boop and Speed Racer.

“We are honored to work with the amazing team at Warner Bros. Discovery and others on this network and bring together a truly incredible collection of the world’s best known and most loved classic cartoons, creating a new destination for everyone to discover or rediscover the sheer joy of watching cartoons on TV,” said Weigel vice chairman Neal Sabin. “MeTV Toons will be dedicated 24/7 to showcasing the biggest names and most beloved classic cartoons and animated characters. Everyone has a favorite cartoon; it is a universally loved art form. We are thrilled to bring those smiles and memories back to TV with MeTV Toons.”

Sabin added in an executive briefing on Wednesday: “The cartoons offered are going to help make this be the greatest animation network ever. Everybody has a favorite cartoon — just just think about the cartoons that you watched when you were younger and the nice warm, fuzzy feelings that they bring back. We’re going to bring those back to people every day in the MeTV way of doing things and this network is going to appeal to all ages and advertisers. It’s going to be multi-studio, multi-platform and multi-generational. It’s MeTV Toons, and it’s going to be really special.”

As part of the channel launch, animation historian Jerry Beck (whose books include “The 50 Greatest Cartoons,” “The Hanna-Barbera Treasury” and “Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to Warner Bros. Cartoons”) will help produce original content related to the MeTV Toons library. Also, character actor Bob Bergen — who has voiced Porky Pig, Marvin the Martian and more, will serve as the signature voice announcer for MeTV Toons.

MeTV Toons will be available for distribution on over-the-air broadcast television, traditional and virtual operators, along with a complimentary offering for ad-supported streaming services. Besides MeTV and MeTV Toons, other Weigel networks include Heroes & Icons, Start TV, Catchy Comedy, Movies!, Story Television, Dabl and MeTV+.

“Neal and the team at Weigel have been long-standing and innovative licensing partners of Warner Bros. content for decades,”, said David Decker, president of content sales for Warner Bros. Discovery, in a statement. “Having some of the Studio’s most iconic animated characters all available in one place is not only great for fans of classic animation, but also just super fun.”

Disney And Warner Bros. Discovery To Rollout Bundled Disney+ And Max Streamer

The companies are aiming to launch the bundle this summer. The exact launch date and the price point have not yet been announced, but plans call for both ad-free and ad-supported versions to be available.

The move creates the first cross-company partnership for any of the top-tier services to come to market as the race to catch up with Netflix began in earnest about five years ago. It follows years of speculation and public musings by top executives about when bundling across the industry might reduce friction and begin to make streaming more cost-efficient for programmers and consumers alike. Pay-TV operators long served as third-party bundlers in the cable age, but while distribution deals with the likes of Roku and Amazon are key to any streaming service gaining traction, it’s mostly every-app-for-itself in the streaming era.

Churn, the industry term for the number of canceled subscriptions in a given period, has been a nagging problem for media companies. For decades, they had grown accustomed to the far more stable patterns of pay-TV, which was built on a foundation of long-term contracts and physical equipment. In the realm of direct-to-consumer internet businesses, a tap of an app can vaporize revenue, one of the many reasons why companies have been looking more closely at bundling, especially with cord-cutting ravaging their pay-TV network holdings.

Viewers, meanwhile, complain of a dizzying landscape of apps and titles filling their screens, making the simple act of finding something to watch a grueling process. The “endless scroll” of Netflix and later imitators has amplified Bruce Springsteen’s fabled lament about “57 channels and nothin’ on.”

Within companies, synergistic bundling has been commonplace for several years, with Disney in the vanguard with its successful troika of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+. Many players are taking the next step and more fully consolidating services. Max last year rebranded from HBO Max and added Discovery+ programming. Disney has been steadily bringing its flanker services into closer alignment with flagship Disney+, adding a Hulu tile to Disney+ earlier this year and planning an ESPN one later this year.

In yet another sign of the times, Paramount+ and Showtime’s streaming service fully merged in 2023. Paramount Global’s recent travails and efforts to finalize a potential merger have also been accompanied by speculation that Paramount+ would be ripe for the kind of bundle announced by Disney and WBD. Comcast and Paramount had held talks about a Peacock-P+ combo, but those discussions reportedly faltered due to disputes over control.

Disney, despite rolling up all of Hulu in a buyout of Comcast’s one-third stake in recent months, has shown increased interest in joint ventures. It recently teamed with Fox Corp. and WBD on a sports-focused streaming bundle. That still-unnamed service, nicknamed “Spulu,” is due to launch this fall.

Brands to be showcased in the new Disney-WBD bundle include ABC, CNN, DC, Discovery, Disney, Food Network, FX, HBO, HGTV, Hulu, Marvel, Pixar, Searchlight and Warner Bros. The new offering will be available for purchase on any of the three streaming platforms’ websites.

“On the heels of the very successful launch of Hulu on Disney+, this new bundle with Max will offer subscribers even more choice and value,” said Joe Earley, President, Direct to Consumer, Disney Entertainment. “This incredible new partnership puts subscribers first, giving them access to blockbuster films, originals, and three massive libraries featuring the very best brands and entertainment in streaming today.”

“This new offering delivers for consumers the greatest collection of entertainment for the best value in streaming, and will help drive incremental subscribers and much stronger retention,” said JB Perrette, CEO and President, Global Streaming and Games, Warner Bros. Discovery. “Offering this unprecedented entertainment value for fans across all the complimentary genres these three services offer, presents a powerful new roadmap for the future of the industry.”

Albtraum Comic (PDF)

Download Now 

BabyTV Is Adding Four New Original Shows To Its 2024 Lineup

Disney-owned BabyTV, which runs 24/7 commercial-free programming for babies and toddlers, is adding four new original series to its 2024 lineup.

First up on June 3 is Bug ‘N’ Play (30 x five minutes), a 2D-animated series about three bug friends (pictured) who learn to problem-solve while playing with forgotten toys in their yard.

Launching on August 5 is a 30 x five-minute show called Travelers, featuring a mix of live action and animation. In each episode, human hosts Perry and Harley demonstrate how life’s challenges can be overcome with humor and determination.

This will be followed on October 7 by My Robot & I (20 x five minutes), a CG-animated series showcasing the positive relationship between a curious girl and her new robotic companion.

And finally, Olly (30 x five minutes) is due out on November 4, with CG-animated episodes about a playful monkey who learns valuable lessons and problem-solving skills through fun role-play situations with his friends.

All four shows will launch globally on BabyTV’s linear channel first, and then roll out a month later on the BabyTV app. Streaming dates on Disney+ are TBD for now.

The BabyTV linear channel is available in more than 80 countries worldwide, and content on the app is dubbed into 18 languages, including English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese Brazil, Russian, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Dutch and Norwegian.

Press Release: Disney Jr's Ariel Premieres This June Across Africa

Disney Branded Television announced the premiere date for the highly anticipated animated musical series “Disney Jr.’s Ariel.” Inspired by “The Little Mermaid,” the series will debut on SATURDAY, 29 JUNE, on Disney Junior at 8:30 a.m. CAT on DStv, Channel 309. Additionally, new recurring cast members were announced, including Yvette Nicole Brown, Melissa Villaseñor and Ron Funches.

To help build excitement for “Disney Jr.’s Ariel,” it was also announced that a new series of shorts titled “Disney Jr.’s Ariel: Mermaid Tales” will be featured across Disney Jr. beginning Monday, 24 June. Each two-minute short will highlight a different aspect of Ariel’s life in Atlantica.

Set in the Caribbean-inspired fairytale kingdom of Atlantica, the series follows young mermaid princess Ariel (Mykal-Michelle Harris) as she embarks on underwater adventures with her family and friends, including King Triton (Taye Diggs), Ursula (Amber Riley), Flounder (Gracen Newton) and mer-friends Fernie (Cruz Flateau) and Lucia (Elizabeth Phoenix Caro).

Each episode highlights themes of self-expression, curiosity and resourcefulness and celebrates the multicultural elements of the Caribbean through food, fashion, language and folklore. Dr. Patricia Saunders, professor of English and hemispheric Caribbean studies and director of graduate studies at the University of Miami, serves as cultural consultant on the series.

In addition to Brown as Aquatica, Villaseñor as Navi, and Funches as Delfino, the series recurring cast includes Kevin Michael Richardson as Sebastian, Parvesh Cheena as Ravi, Danni Washington as Tantie Chantale, Alanna Ubach as Cristina Cuttles, and Dana Heath and Jessica Mikayla as Ariel’s twin sisters Ayanna and Alanna, respectively.

Music plays an integral role in the series, with original songs inspired by the diverse genres of Caribbean music. The acclaimed songwriting teams are comprised of Anthony M. Jones (Tone), Sofia Quinn, Olivia Waithe, Chantry Johnson, Michelle Zarlenga and Rosemarie Tan. EmmyⓇ Award winner Christopher Willis serves as composer. Sean Skeete, dean of the Professional Performance division at Berklee College of Music, is the Caribbean music consultant.

“Disney Jr.’s Ariel” is executive produced by Lynne Southerland and is produced by Wild Canary in association with Disney Jr.

Skydance’s Proposed Deal With Paramount Global Appears To Be Falling Apart

After months of M&A talks, Paramount Global and controlling shareholder Shari Redstone might be going it alone after all — for now.

Insiders tell that the expectation at the company is that neither of the two offers in play — Skydance Media-RedBird Capital Partners and Sony Pictures Entertainment-Apollo Global Management — will come to fruition. And Redstone is said to have reluctantly concluded that a deal with David Ellison’s Skydance, a longtime partner of Paramount Pictures, will not be possible.

As of Friday morning, the special committee established by Paramount Global’s board to evaluate M&A proposals had not notified Skydance one way or the other about its best and final offer, which would involve Skydance acquiring Redstone’s National Amusements Inc. and merging Skydance and Paramount Global, per a source familiar with the talks. The exclusive negotiating window between Skydance and the Paramount Global board’s special committee established to review M&A offers is set to expire at midnight Friday.

Meanwhile, the Paramount board’s special committee will review the joint Sony-Apollo offer, floating a $26 billion all-cash buyout premium, after the May 3 expiration of the Skydance negotiating window. But that may be so the board fulfills its fiduciary duty to consider all credible M&A proposals. Insiders expect the proposal to ultimately be a deal-breaker, given anticipated regulatory hurdles required to complete such a transaction.

Moreover, Redstone — who has final say-so over what deal to accept — is known to be loath to sell her family’s media company to a private-equity-backed buyer. Those familiar with Redstone’s thinking say she remains open to any deal that’s in the best interests of shareholders and that she supports the Paramount special committee’s review of the Sony-Apollo overture. That said, the Sony-Apollo offer appears more attractive to Paramount Global’s Class B (nonvoting) shareholders than the Skydance deal. If the Sony-Apollo offer is deemed unworkable, the most likely outcome is that Paramount Global will not proceed on either front given the threat of investor legal action were the company to move forward with Skydance.

Reps for Paramount Global, Skydance and National Amusements have declined to comment, as has a spokesman for the Paramount board’s special committee reviewing M&A offers. Reps for Apollo and Sony have not responded to requests for comment.

The situation remains fluid, and no definitive decisions have been made about Paramount or Redstone’s next moves.

But if the M&A talks are abandoned, Paramount Global would indeed be run for the foreseeable future by the three-headed “Office of the CEO” — CBS’s George Cheeks, Paramount Pictures’ Brian Robbins and Chris McCarthy, head of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks — after Bob Bakish was shown the door. The trio have told employees they’re prepping a “long-term plan” for Paramount Global. As part of cutting the company’s debt load, insiders speculate that strategic plan might include selling BET Media Group (which media mogul Byron Allen has expressed interest in acquiring) and the famed 62-acre Paramount Pictures Studio lot on Melrose Avenue in L.A. The go-forward strategy might also see the company try to combine the Paramount+ streaming service with NBCUniversal’s Peacock in some way.

At this point, Paramount Global is preparing “to go it alone,” LightShed Partners analysts Rich Greenfield, Brandon Ross and Mark Kelley speculated in a blog post Friday. “While Skydance could come back later in 2024 or next year, we sense National Amusements sees too many legal headaches with proceeding, given the special committee’s view of the proposed transaction.”

Regarding the Sony-Apollo bid, the LightShed analysts noted, “National Amusements does not want to see a breakup of the company and can stop any transaction they do not desire.” They suggested that regulatory approval of such a deal, given restrictions on studio and TV station consolidation and foreign ownership, would take at least 12 months “and potentially far longer if the administration turns over in November.”

Skydance Media Exclusive Talks With Paramount Global Conclude As Apollo And Sony Make Bid To Acquire The Company

Skydance Media is prepared to walk away from its offer for Paramount Global unless it receives a firm commitment from controlling shareholder Shari Redstone, following the latest offer from Apollo Global Management and Sony Pictures, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The exclusivity window for discussions between David Ellison's Skydance, backed by private equity firms RedBird Capital and KKR, and Paramount ends Friday and won't be extended, people familiar with the matter mentioned Paramount shares rose following the report.

The consortium has been waiting for word from Paramount's special committee on whether the panel will recommend its bid to acquire the company to Redstone. Now, with Apollo and Sony formally expressing interest in acquiring the company for about $26 billion, the Skydance group is looking for Redstone to reaffirm her commitment to the deal.

The Skydance consortium is not keen to hang around to be a stalking horse offer for Apollo and Sony, one of the people said. Still, depending on what Redstone says, Ellison may be willing to work with her, a second person said.

Spokespeople for Skydance, Redstone's National Amusements and Paramount's special committee declined to comment on Friday.

Apollo and Sony made their latest offer Thursday, CNBC previously reported. The special committee is currently considering the bid, the people said.

As part of Skydance's latest deal on the table, Redstone may take less than $2 billion for her controlling stake in Paramount, which is lower than Skydance's initial offer. The consortium is contributing additional capital to pay common, Class B shareholders at a nearly 30% premium to the undisturbed trading price of about $11 per share. In total, Redstone and Skydance would contribute $3 billion, with the vast majority going to Class B shareholders, according to people familiar with the matter.

Skydance's valuation as part of the deal remains around $5 billion, the people said. It's unclear if the Apollo-Sony offer gives Redstone the same premium.

Previously, Redstone rejected an offer by Apollo in favor of exclusive talks with Skydance. Redstone has preferred a deal that would keep Paramount together, as Skydance's offer would. A private equity firm is likely to break up the company.