Warner Bros.' 'Digger' has grossed $35.3 million worldwide after an $8 million domestic opening and a 60% second-weekend drop. Fortune, citing Variety, puts the loss at $245 million; the Los Angeles Times, citing industry sources and counting streaming, says at least $150 million.
Reality
- Evidence55
- Adoption12
- Hype gap+20
- Incentives30
- Confidence58
Kalshi's deals with CBS, CNN and CNBC put election odds on air despite 60% public opposition
Kalshi has deals to put its prices on CBS, CNN and CNBC while 60% of US adults oppose election betting, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found. The trader-concentration data that exists is for Polymarket, where the top 1% of wallets make 68% of congressional-market volume, an August analysis found.
Reality
- Evidence58
- Adoption35
- Hype gap+10
- Incentives65
- Confidence60
Skydance's David Ellison plans to merge Paramount+ and HBO Max, a pairing he puts at over 200 million subscribers, now that the Warner Bros. deal has closed. The company says it carries roughly $80 billion of debt, so that scale has to turn into cash.
Perspective Coverage
3 publishers
- Builder
- Builder 7%
- Operator
- Operator 43%
- Investor
- Investor 50%
Reality
- Evidence50
- Adoption
- Not scored
- Hype gap+30
- Incentives70
- Confidence55
Paramount Skydance closed its $110bn Warner Bros Discovery merger with $80bn of debt and a $6bn yearly savings target. Its settlement with US states covers films and news, while streaming prices and jobs stay its own call.
Perspective Coverage
14 publishers
- Builder
- Builder 11%
- Operator
- Operator 45%
- Investor
- Investor 44%
Reality
- Evidence70
- Adoption
- Not scored
- Hype gap+15
- Incentives60
- Confidence68
Ellison puts a shared streaming platform ahead of a single HBO Max and Paramount+ app
David Ellison told Skydance staff that HBO Max and Paramount+, priced at $18.49 and $13.99 ad-free, will share one tech platform before becoming one app. A discounted bundle covers the interim while the merged service's name and price stay open.
Reality
- Evidence55
- Adoption
- Not scored
- Hype gap+10
- Incentives60
- Confidence50
Skydance's Warner Bros takeover leaves Hollywood talent with four major studios to pitch
Skydance now owns Warner Bros and Paramount, cutting Hollywood's major studios from five to four and putting HBO, CBS and CNN under one owner. Writers and directors feel the lost buyer first, while cable distributors and streaming subscribers meet the combined company later.
Reality
- Evidence45
- Adoption
- Not scored
- Hype gap+5
- Incentives
- Not scored
- Confidence55
Paramount is set to close its $110 billion Warner Bros. Discovery merger on October 6 as Skydance, under a settlement requiring 30 theatrical films a year. Households paying for both HBO Max and Paramount+ keep two apps for now, with no announced price or date for the merged service.
Perspective Coverage
9 publishers
- Builder
- Builder 9%
- Operator
- Operator 37%
- Investor
- Investor 54%
Reality
- Evidence74
- Adoption
- Not scored
- Hype gap+20
- Incentives60
- Confidence72
Skydance makes Mattel's cost-cutter Ynon Kreiz co-CEO to find $6 billion in savings
Skydance has made former Mattel chief Ynon Kreiz co-CEO, expected to find $6 billion in savings over three years, Business Insider reports. David Ellison keeps the studio and talent deals, leaving Kreiz the cuts and the layoffs expected with them.
Reality
- Evidence45
- Adoption
- Not scored
- Hype gap+20
- Incentives55
- Confidence50
Paramount named Mattel's Ynon Kreiz co-CEO alongside David Ellison shortly after a judge approved its 12-state settlement over the $81 billion Warner deal. Both chief executives take over a studio whose operating plan now has to fit the terms 12 states negotiated and a federal judge approved.
Reality
- Evidence72
- Adoption
- Not scored
- Hype gap+5
- Incentives55
- Confidence74
Cryptobriefing reports Ellison plans to sell up to $7.5bn of Oracle stock while personally guaranteeing more than $40bn of media deals, with 277 to 346 million shares already pledged. At $150 that sale is 50 million shares.
Reality
- Evidence62
- Adoption
- Not scored
- Hype gap+25
- Incentives
- Not scored
- Confidence60