Paramount and Skydance's Slow, Painful Merger
Why alienate half the country? As Al Capone said in The Untouchables, "It's bad for business."
Welcome to MovieNewsPro for Friday, July 18th. Here's what you need to know.
🎬 Today's Take
The ongoing Paramount/CBS/Skydance merger saga continues to feel like a slow-motion act of corporate performance art.
Today’s development: Skydance CEO David Ellison meeting with FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr to affirm Skydance’s "commitment to unbiased journalism". The meeting by itself suggests the merger may finally be inching toward approval. But at this stage, it's still anyone’s guess.
The recent cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s CBS show, along with the 60 Minutes settlement, could be seen as a concession to political pressure from President Trump. Or, they might simply be pragmatic business decisions made to clear the path for the deal. We’re steering clear of the political interpretation, not because it lacks substance, but because (A) it's too easy, and (B) why alienate half the country? As Al Capone said in The Untouchables, "It's bad for business."
And that’s the real intrigue. Whether it’s Paramount or Skydance, the moves these companies make are sure to be viewed through a political lens. Like any political performance, how it lands depends on the audience, and which side of the aisle they're sitting on. Either way, this movie has been going on way too long, and at this point, half the audience is guaranteed to leave bad reviews.
🎥 Industry Intel
The power of AI to create compelling visuals is at the heart of the movie industry's latest civil war. (The Hollywood Reporter)
Writer/director Taika Waititi is reportedly on board to direct a new Judge Dredd movie. (Deadline)
Imax has extended the contract for CEO Richard Gelfond through 2028. (The Hollywood Reporter)
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos listed 37 (that's right, 37) series, films and events that he has high hopes for during yesterday's earnings call. (Deadline)
📈 Movie Stock Index
Market Close: Friday, July 18th, 2025
Total Value: $115,340.56
Today's Change: -$343.48 (-0.30%)
Total Gain/Loss (Since 05/12/25): $15,340.54 (15.34%)
A flat day for the Movie Stock Index. We closed down -$343.48 (-0.30%). Cinemark and Marcus were up today on news that they were mulling creating their own Imax competitor. Netflix dropped (-5.10%) today on mixed opinions for the companies' margins going forward as well as profit taking after yesterday's earnings.
Disclaimer: The MovieNewsPro Stock Index is a virtual index - there are no actual funds invested. Sector index total value dollar amounts are based on an initial hypothetical investment of $100,000 on May 12th, 2025. MovieNewsPro and/or its publisher may own stock or have interest in the companies mentioned. We are not licensed investment advisors and our information should not be used as investment advice. Invest wisely.
🏆 Upcoming Film Festivals
New York Asian Film Festival, US - July 11-27
Golden Apricot International Film Festival, Armenia - July 13-20
Fantasia International Film Festival, Canada - July 17-August 3
Jerusalem Film Festival, Israel - July 17-27
New Horizons International Film Festival, Poland - July 17-27
Waco Independent Film Festival, US - July 17-20
Burgas International Film Festival, Bulgaria - July 19-25
Malaysia International Film Festival, Malaysia - July 19-27
Cinema Rediscovered, UK - July 23-27
Comic-Con, US - July 24-27
Woods Hole Film Festival, US - July 26-August 2
BlackStar Film Festival, US - July 31-August 3
📺 Watch This Tonight
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Directed by George Roy Hill
Robert Redford and Paul Newman in one of the ultimate buddy movies. Great script, amazing cinematography and even a few laughs.
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Disclaimer/Transparency
MovieNewsPro is a film industry news, trends and analysis monitoring service. All stories have been previously reported elsewhere and are not exclusive stories to MNP. All information is believed to be accurate at the time of reporting. MovieNewsPro uses a full array of technology to gather information, including machine learning, automation and artificial intelligence throughout its business monitoring, editing and reporting process.
