Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Warner Bros. Discovery and Amazon Prime Video have set the launch date and pricing for their ‘Warner Pass’ offer in France to March 16. Priced at €9.99 per month, the offer will be available exclusively on Amazon Prime Video Channels in France, and will boast all of HBO programs, along with 12 channels, including Warner TV, Eurosport, Discovery Channel, Cartoon Network and CNN, as well as their associated on-demand services. Subscribers will benefit from a 30-day free trial until April 3. “The launch of Warner Pass exclusively as a Prime Video channel in France is the next step in our journey to become the destination for customers in France to find the best in storytelling, premium entertainment and sports,” said Brigitte Ricou-Bellan, Prime Video French Country Director.
Warner Bros. Discovery Sues Paramount Global Over ‘South Park’ Streaming Rights
24.02.2023 - 23:11 / thewrap.com
,” HBO Max said in a statement to TheWrap.Warner Bros. Discovery claims that Paramount’s priorities “changed drastically” upon the launch of Paramount+ in 2021, resulting in a “multi-year scheme to unfairly take advantage” of the former conglomerate by breaching its agreement and “stealing its content.”Per the 2019 agreement, where Warner/HBO outbid others in a competitive situation to garner the exclusive rights to the series, the company acquired the series’ entire catalog (23 seasons at the time) in addition to three new installments, totaling more than 300 episodes.
Based on the representations made in the deal, WBD alleges that Paramount Global promised exclusivity in hosting all 333 episodes — the 303 existing at the time, in addition to the 30 that would be added across the three new seasons — and that sharing rights was a “non-starter.” However, as a result of the pandemic, Paramount delayed filming on Season 24, instead producing two nearly hour-long COVID-themed specials that released initially on Comedy Central and were later put on HBO Max. Because of the specials’ longer runtime, WBD paid double the typical single-episode rate.
The matter was further complicated upon the entry of a new deal in 2021 between the creators and Paramount subsidiary MTV worth $900 million to produce 14 original movies for Paramount+. At the time, the series was also renewed through Season 30.South Park Digital Studios, Paramount and MTV, WBD alleges, “engaged in a campaign of verbal trickery designed to circumvent” the original agreement, using “grammatical sleight-of-hand” to characterize the new content as “movies,” “films” or “events” instead of episodes.
Warner Bros. Discovery Worried That ‘HBO’ Name Turns Off New Subscribers
Bloomberg reported on Thursday and TheWrap independently confirmed.The name change is meant to signal that the service will not just be HBO Max with Discovery content, nor will HBO Max be ported over to Discovery+. “Max” is the leading contender, though Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Discovery Rebrands Directors Program After U-Turn
Warner Bros. Discovery is continuing its directors program after all.
Japan’s U-Next Renews HBO Content Deal With Warner Bros Discovery
Japanese streamer U-Next has renewed its content deal with Warner Bros Discovery, under which it will continue to be the SVOD streaming home of HBO programming in Japan.
Paramount Global to Pay $122 Million to Settle Shareholder Suits Over Viacom-CBS Merger
Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer Paramount Global disclosed on Friday that it will pay $122.5 million to settle lawsuits from Viacom shareholders arising from the company’s merger with CBS. In a securities filing, the company revealed that it has agreed to settle the class action litigation now pending in the Delaware Court of Chancery. The settlement still requires judicial approval. The plaintiffs had alleged that Paramount Global’s chairwoman, Shari Redstone, ousted board members in a “tyrannical” effort to merge the two companies. The suit alleged that CBS stock was overpriced in the merger, and that Viacom was undervalued, causing harm to Viacom shareholders.
Australia’s Foxtel Renews Content Pact With Warner Bros Discovery
Foxtel Group and Warner Bros Discovery have renewed their multi-year content agreement, under which the Australian pay-TV operator and streamer will remain the home of HBO, Max Originals, Warner Bros and Discovery programming in Australia.
Australia’s Foxtel and Warner Bros. Discovery Renew Content Supply Pact, Seek Flexibility for Evolving Streaming Era
Katherine Tulich Australian pay-TV Foxtel Group has held on to its top HBO programming hits, “House of the Dragon,” “The Last of Us,” “Succession” and “The White Lotus” with the Wednesday announcement of a renewed content supply deal. Foxtel will remain the Australian home of HBO, Max Originals, Warner Bros. and Discovery content. The pact between Foxtel and Warner Bros. Discovery is touted as “a multi-year, multi-faceted content and platform agreement” that reflects the evolution of Foxtel from legacy pay-TV operator into a streaming player. It also allows further wiggle room as circumstances continue to change.
Meghan Markle’s first post-‘South Park’ job is a coffee commercial
brew-haha from the latest “South Park” episode.The ex-royal showed up in a new ad on Instagram for “self-care” coffee brand Clevr Blends, after being royally roasted by “South Park” and the fallout from her husband Prince Harry’s memoir, “Spare.”The Duchess of Sussex, 41, appeared in the commercial with founder Hannah Mendoza, who explains Markle invested in the health brand in 2020 — the same year she and Harry stepped down as senior members of the royal family.The clip shows Mendoza sipping on the wellness lattes with Markle, wearing a casual look consisting of jeans and a trench coat.Mendoza spoke about when she created the superfood lattes — which are free of dairy, grain and nut milk and include ingredients made from herbs, roots, spices and vegetables.“People fell in love with the drink and really wanted to make them at home,” the CEO said. “Three years ago, everything changed.
Warner Bros Bosses Michael De Luca & Pamela Abdy Accept PGA Milestone: Execs Who’ll “Go To The Mat For The Story And The Artists They Believe In” Says Ron Howard
Seven months after landing the highly coveted top jobs at Warner Bros. Motion Picture studios, Co-Chairpersons Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy were bestowed with the PGA Milestone award tonight and paid respect for their mega industry mentors, remembered emotionally their cinematic NYC and New Jersey youths, and gave a huge shoutout to their new boss, Warner Discovery CEO David Zaslav.
Warner Bros. Discovery Sues Paramount Over ‘South Park’ Deal
Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. is suing Paramount Global, saying its competitor aired new episodes of the popular animated comedy series “South Park” after Warner paid for exclusive rights.
‘South Park’ Showdown: Warner Bros Discovery Hits “Opportunistic” Paramount Global & Series Creators With $200M Streaming Rights Suit
“Screw you guys, we’re going to sue,” a Cartman paraphrasing Warner Bros Discovery essentially said to Paramount Global and the series creators today in a scathing lawsuit over South Park streaming rights.
Meghan Markle mocked mercilessly by sister over 'South Park' episode
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were not painted in the best light in the Feb. 15 episode of "South Park," and now Markle's estranged half-sister, Samantha Markle, is weighing in on her sibling's portrayal.
‘South Park’ Lawsuit: Warner Bros. Discovery Sues Paramount Global Over Licensing Dispute
Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer HBO Max’s parent company has filed a lawsuit that accuses Paramount Global of reneging on parts of the $500 million licensing deal set in 2019 for the streaming rights to episodes of “South Park.” The suit, filed Friday in New York state Supreme Court, asserts that Paramount breached the contract by steering “South Park” specials and other content to its own Paramount+ platform. The suit alleges that Paramount “blatantly intended to prop up Paramount+ at the expense of Warner/HBO,” and that Paramount engaged in “multiple and flagrant duplicitous contortions of fact and breaches of contract.”
Multiple new ‘Lord of the Rings’ movies coming from Warner Bros.
The Wrap.“But for all the scope and detail lovingly packed into the two trilogies, the vast, complex and dazzling universe dreamed up by J.R.R. Tolkien remains largely unexplored on film. The opportunity to invite fans deeper into the cinematic world of Middle-earth is an honor, and we are excited to partner with Middle-Earth Enterprises and Embracer on this adventure.”The cost of the deal made between Warner Bros., New Line Cinema and Embracer Group — the current rights holders to Tolkien’s novels — has yet to be released.
Warner Bros Discovery Q4 Revenue Slips On Ad And Studio Softness; Company Touts “Significant Operating And Financial Gains” In Streaming
Warner Bros Discovery revenue fell 11% to $11 billion (or a drop of 9% when foreign exchange fluctuations are excluded), mostly due to advertising softness and tough studio comparisons.
Warner Bros. Discovery Tops 96 Million Streaming Subscribers Across HBO, HBO Max and Discovery+
Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer HBO, HBO Max and Discovery+ added 1.1 million subscribers in Q4 to end 2022 with a total of 96.1 million worldwide. That’s up from the 95 million combined global streaming customers Warner Bros. Discovery hit from July 1-Sept. 30, the quarter during which the highly anticipated “Game of Thrones” prequel “House of the Dragon” debuted. During the Oct. 1-Dec. 31 quarter, “House of the Dragon” concluded its first season the second season of HBO’s hot Mike White drama “White Lotus” premiered. Details about the upcoming combined HBO Max-Discovery+ streamer — which does not yet have a name, launch date or pricing details — will be revealed at an April 12 press day.
Is the Worst Really Over? Wall Street Hunts for Evidence of Turnaround Momentum in Warner Bros. Discovery Q4 Results
Cynthia Littleton Business Editor As the fourth-quarter earnings cycle for Big Media closes today with Warner Bros. Discovery results after the market close, Wall Street will be eagerly looking for green shoots to confirm that the worst is truly over for the newly minted conglomerate. Warner Bros. Discovery shares have been gaining slowly but steadily since the beginning of this year as Team Zaslav hammers the point to investors that the worst of its integration and restructuring pain is behind them. WBD CEO David Zaslav has been ahead of the curve in preaching a return to the business fundamentals that have powered Hollywood for more than a half-century. Disney and Paramount Global delivered results earlier this month that came with sober warnings about streaming losses hitting a peak this year. Zaslav and WBD chief financial officer Gunnar Wiedenfels have promised analysts that the heaviest gusher of investment in HBO Max came in 2022 and that they are now on the path to taking the streamer to the promised land — profitablity — next year.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Are Not Suing ‘South Park’ After Being Made Fun Of in New Season
Setting the record straight. Despite rumors, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are not taking legal action against South Park for their recent episode.
Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Not Suing Over ‘South Park’ Episode: ‘It’s All Nonsense,’ Spokesperson Clarifies
According to a spokeswoman for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, the pair is not suing over a recent “South Park” episode.
Meghan Markle, Prince Harry not suing over ‘South Park’: It’s ‘boring’
episode titled “The Worldwide Privacy Tour,” which appeared to make fun of Markle, 41, and Harry, 38, and their decision to move to the US in an attempt for a private life.The duchess was said to be “upset and overwhelmed” by the episode, which did not name them specifically but featured characters that closely resembled the duke and duchess.