2026 PGA Documentary Award Nominees Include ‘The Alabama Solution,’ ‘The Perfect Neighbor

On Tuesday, the Producers Guild of America released the list of nominees for its annual documentary award. The list includes "The Alabama Solution," "My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay," and "The Perfect Neighbor."

Most of the documentaries on the list are from HBO, Netflix, and National Geographic.

 HBO has two entries: "The Alabama Solution" and "My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay." Netflix has two: "The Perfect Neighbor" and "Cover-Up." National Geographic has two: "The Tale of Silyan" and "Ocean with David Attenborough." There's also "Mr. Nobody Against Putin," which was made in Denmark and doesn't have a U.S. distribution yet.

Notably missing from the list are some big contenders for the Oscar for best documentary feature, such as "2000 Meters to Andriivka," "Orwell: 2+2=5," "Apocalypse in the Tropics," and "Come See Me in the Good Light."

 These films were all eligible but weren't included.

The PGA also released the names of the finalists for the PGA Innovation Award.

 The PGA says these awards highlight productions that show great achievements in documentary filmmaking and the use of new technology.

The winner of the documentary award will be announced at the 2026 PGA Awards ceremony on February 28, which will take place at the Fairmont Century Plaza.

 The winner of the Innovation Award will be named at a special event on February 26.

In a statement, PGA Presidents Stephanie Allain and Donald De Line said the awards celebrate the important work of producers and their contributions to the industry.

 They praised the dedication and excellence of the teams behind the nominated projects.

Earlier this year, at the 2025 PGA Awards, the producers of "Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story" — Lizzie Gillett, Robert Ford, and Ian Bonhote — won the award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Picture.

The PGA will announce the nominees for sports, children’s, and short form content on Friday.

 The nominees for theatrical motion pictures, animated theatrical motion pictures, television series/specials, and televised or streamed motion pictures will be announced on January 9.

Here is the full list of nominees announced on Tuesday:

Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures  

The films nominated for Documentary Motion Pictures are listed below in alphabetical order.

- "The Alabama Solution" (HBO Documentary Films)  

- "Cover-Up" (Netflix)  

- "Mr. Nobody Against Putin" (Made in Copenhagen)  

- "My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay" (HBO Documentary Films)  

- "Ocean with David Attenborough" (National Geographic)  

- "The Perfect Neighbor" (Netflix)  

- "The Tale of Silyan" (National Geographic)

PGA Innovation Award Finalists  

The finalists for the PGA Innovation Award are listed below in alphabetical order.

- "ASTEROID" (Doug Liman’s 30 Ninjas / Google’s 100 Zeros)  

- "Big Wave: No Room for Error" (Cosm)  

- "D-Day: The Camera Soldier" (TARGO / TIME Studios)  

- "territory" (Double Eye Studios / Kinetic Light)  

- "The Wizard of Oz at Sphere" (Sphere Entertainment Co.)

Robert Pattinson, Zendaya Fake Engagement Announcement in A24 Marketing Stunt

Robert Pattinson and Zendaya have announced their engagement — kind of.

The two celebrities are promoting their new A24 movie called *The Drama* by putting up a fake engagement ad in the Boston Globe.

 This ad comes the day before a trailer for the movie is set to come out.

The ad says, “Emma Harwood and Charlie Thompson Engaged,” and it shows a picture from the movie’s poster.

This is a smart way to promote the film by the writer and director Kristoffer Borgli.

 His previous movie, *Dream Scenario* with Nicolas Cage, was well received and won a Best Actor nomination at the Golden Globes. The ad mentions that Emma Harwood will marry Charlie Thompson on April 3 in Boston, MA, which matches the film’s announced release date.

For fans who have been waiting for *The Drama*, which was first mentioned in 2024, the ad offers some clues.

 Pattinson’s character, Charlie, is the Director of the Cambridge Art Museum. He has a Ph.D in Art History from Tufts University and graduated from Eaton College in 2004.

This makes Charlie much older than Emma (Zendaya), who graduated high school in 2013 and then got a B.A. in English from Boston University in 2017 with honors.

 At the time of the engagement, Emma works at Mission Books. Her father is described as a decorated military veteran.

Not much is known about *The Drama*, which also stars Mamoudou Athie, Alana Haim, and Hailey Gates.

 The story takes place just days before the couple’s wedding, and hidden, disturbing truths are revealed.

*The Drama* will be in theaters on April 3, 2026.

Cynthia Erivo Makes Golden Globes History as First Black Woman to Earn Two Lead Actress (Comedy) Nominations

 Particularly during award season, no kind deed goes unpunished.

As the first Black woman to receive two nominations in the lead actress (comedy or musical) category, Cynthia Erivo has created Golden Globes history. Her outstanding performance as Elphaba in Jon M. Chu's box office hit "Wicked: For Good" has earned her praise. This is her second nomination in the category, having been nominated for "Wicked" only a year prior.

The recurring cast of All the Sinners Bleed

Giancarlo Esposito is one of the eleven recurring cast members of the Netflix series "All the Sinners Bleed."

Alongside Rose Byrne ("If I Had Legs I would Kick You"), Kate Hudson ("Song Sung Blue"), Chase Infiniti ("One Battle After Another"), Amanda Seyfried ("The Testament of Ann Lee"), and Emma Stone ("Bugonia"), Erivo was nominated this year.

I am grateful that you did not do some of my less well-known things because I could not recall.

The achievement comes in an area where Black women have historically had little representation. Prior to Erivo's second nomination, just 12 Black women had been nominated for the Globes' comedy actress category since the competition's founding. Angela Bassett, who won the honor in 1994 for her performance as Tina Turner in "What Does Love Got to Do With It," was the only winner to date.

Erivo and Zendaya from the sports movie "Challengers" became the first Black women to be nominated in the category last year, and Demi Moore's performance in "The Substance" ultimately won it.

The following is the full list of Black women who have been nominated for Golden Globes for lead actress (comedy or musical):

"Porgy and Bess" by Dorothy Dandridge—Nominated

"Claudine," Diahann Carroll—Nominated

"Fame," Irene Cara—Nominated

Jennifer Beals, "Flashdance"—Nominated

Whoopi Goldberg, Nominated for "Sister Act"

"What is Love Got to Do With It" by Angela Bassett—Won

"Jackie Brown," Pam Grier—Nominated

Beyoncé, "Dreamgirls"—Nominated

Nominated: Rebecca Hall, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

Nominated: Quvenzhané Wallis, "Annie"

Fantasia Barrino, "The Color Purple"—Nominated

"Wicked," Cynthia Erivo—Nominated

Zendaya, "Challengers"—Nominated

Three of the 13 performances in the category—Carroll for "Claudine," Bassett for "What Does Love Got to Do With It," and Erivo for "Wicked"—went on to get Academy Award nominations.

The nomination follows her startling rejection for her role in the sequel at the Critics Choice Awards. Erivo was excluded from a lineup despite the impressive performance for "Wicked: For Good," which received seven nominations, including best picture, supporting actress for Ariana Grande, and important craft races.

With Erivo's triumph, "Wicked: For Good," which has done well in all Globes categories, including best picture (comedy or musical), continues its stellar awards-season run. Her nomination also demonstrates the increasing—yet still unfulfilled—acknowledgment of Black women in prominent comedy roles.

The date of the Golden Globes is January 11.

Golden Globe Nominations: ‘One Battle After Another’ Leads Film Noms, ‘The White Lotus’ Tops in TV

 The 2026 Golden Globe nominations, which were revealed early on Monday morning, are led by One Battle After Another.

Nine nominations, including best picture, director, and screenplay, were given to Paul Thomas Anderson's film. Sentimental Value received eight nominations, while Sinners received seven, Hamnet received six, and Frankenstein and Wicked: For Good received five each.

The White Lotus leads the TV categories with six nominations, followed by Adolescence with five, Severance with four, and Only Murders in the Building with five.

Netflix received the most TV nominations, with 22, while Neon had the most nominations overall, with 21.

The nominations for 28 categories were announced early on Monday morning by Marlon Wayans and Skye P. Marshall. The Golden Globes will recognize the top films, television shows, and podcasts for the first time this year. The Globes commemorate greatest stand-up comedy performance on television and in movies, as well as cinematic and box office achievement. They also acknowledge best motion picture and TV series, actor awards in movies and television, and director and writer accolades in movies.

The Golden Globes earlier declared that Sarah Jessica Parker would win this year's Carol Burnett Award and Helen Mirren would receive this year's Cecil B. DeMille Award in addition to the competitive awards. Both Mirren and Parker will be honored during the Golden Eve primetime special on Thursday, Jan. 8, on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.

Best Motion Picture – Drama

Frankenstein (Netflix)

Hamnet (Focus Features)

It Was Just an Accident (Neon)

The Secret Agent (Neon)

Sentimental Value (Neon)

Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Blue Moon (Sony Pictures Classics)

Bugonia (Focus Features)

Marty Supreme (A24)

No Other Choice (Neon)

Nouvelle Vague (Netflix)

One Battle After Another (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Best Motion Picture – Animated

Arco (Neon)

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Infinity Castle (Aniplex, Crunchyroll, Sony Pictures Entertainment)

Elio (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix)

Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (Gkids)

Zootopia 2 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Cinematic and Box Office Achievement

Avatar: Fire and Ash (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

F1 (Apple Original Films)

Kpop Demon Hunters (Netflix)

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (Paramount Pictures)

Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Weapons (Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line Cinema)

Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)

Zootopia 2 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language

It Was Just an Accident (Neon) — France

No Other Choice (Neon) — South Korea

The Secret Agent (Neon) — Brazil

Sentimental Value (Neon) — Norway

Sirat (Neon) — Spain

The Voice of Hind Rajab (Willa) — Tunisia

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama 

Jessie Buckley (Hamnet)

Jennifer Lawrence (Die My Love)

Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value)

Julia Roberts (After the Hunt)

Tessa Thompson (Hedda)

Eva Victor (Sorry, Baby)

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Joel Edgerton (Train Dreams)

Oscar Isaac (Frankenstein)

Dwayne Johnson (The Smashing Machine)

Michael B. Jordan (Sinners)

Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent)

Jeremy Allen White (Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere)

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy 

Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You)

Cynthia Erivo (Wicked: For Good)

Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue)

Chase Infiniti (One Battle After Another)

Amanda Seyfried (The Testament of Ann Lee)

Emma Stone (Bugonia)

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy 

Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme)

George Clooney (Jay Kelly)

Leonardo Dicaprio (One Battle After Another)

Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon)

Lee Byung-Hun (No Other Choice)

Jesse Plemons (Bugonia)

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture

Emily Blunt (The Smashing Machine)

Elle Fanning (Sentimental Value)

Ariana Grande (Wicked: For Good)

Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (Sentimental Value)

Amy Madigan (Weapons)

Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another)

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture 

Benicio Del Toro (One Battle After Another)

Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein)

Paul Mescal (Hamnet)

Sean Penn (One Battle After Another)

Adam Sandler (Jay Kelly)

Stellan Skarsgard (Sentimental Value)

Best Director – Motion Picture

Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another)

Ryan Coogler (Sinners)

Guillermo del Toro (Frankenstein)

Jafar Panahi (It Was Just an Accident)

Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value)

Chloé Zhao (Hamnet)

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another)

Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme)

Ryan Coogler (Sinners)

Jafar Panahi (It Was Just an Accident)

Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value)

Chloé Zhao, Maggie O’Farrell (Hamnet)

Best Original Score – Motion Picture 

Alexandre Desplat (Frankenstein)

Ludwig Göransson (Sinners)

Jonny Greenwood (One Battle After Another)

Kangding Ray (Sirat)

Max Richter (Hamnet)

Hans Zimmer (F1)

Best Original Song – Motion Picture

“Dream as One” — Avatar: Fire and Ash

Music By: Miley Cyrus, Andrew Wyatt, Mark Ronson, Simon Franglen

Lyrics By: Miley Cyrus, Andrew Wyatt, Mark Ronson, Simon Franglen

“Golden” — KPop Demon Hunters

Music By: Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, Park Hong Jun

Lyrics By: Kim Eun-Jae (Ejae), Mark Sonnenblick

“I Lied To You” — Sinners

Music By: Raphael Saadiq, Ludwig Göransson

Lyrics By: Raphael Saadiq, Ludwig Göransson

“No Place Like Home” — Wicked: For Good

Music By: Stephen Schwartz

Lyrics By: Stephen Schwartz

“The Girl in the Bubble” — Wicked: For Good

Music By: Stephen Schwartz

Lyrics By: Stephen Schwartz

“Train Dreams” — Train Dreams

Music By: Nick Cave, Bryce Dessner

Lyrics By: Nick Cave

Best Television Series – Drama 

The Diplomat (Netflix)

The Pitt (HBO Max)

Pluribus (Apple TV)

Severance (Apple TV)

Slow Horses (Apple TV)

The White Lotus (HBO Max)

Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Abbott Elementary (ABC)

The Bear (FX on Hulu)

Hacks (HBO Max)

Nobody Wants This (Netflix)

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

The Studio (Apple TV)

Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Adolescence (Netflix)

All Her Fault (Peacock)

The Beast in Me (Netflix)

Black Mirror (Netflix)

Dying for Sex (FX on Hulu)

The Girlfriend (Prime Video)

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series – Drama 

Kathy Bates (Matlock)

Britt Lower (Severance)

Helen Mirren (Mobland)

Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us)

Keri Russell (The Diplomat)

Rhea Seehorn (Pluribus)

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series – Drama 

Sterling K. Brown (Paradise)

Diego Luna (Andor)

Gary Oldman (Slow Horses)

Mark Ruffalo (Task)

Adam Scott (Severance)

Noah Wyle (The Pitt)

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy 

Kristen Bell (Nobody Wants This)

Ayo Edebiri (The Bear)

Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building)

Natasha Lyonne (Poker Face)

Jenna Ortega (Wednesday)

Jean Smart (Hacks)

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy 

Adam Brody (Nobody Wants This)

Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building)

Glen Powell (Chad Powers)

Seth Rogen (The Studio)

Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building)

Jeremy Allen White (The Bear)

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television 

Claire Danes (The Beast in Me)

Rashida Jones (Black Mirror)

Amanda Seyfried (Long Bright River)

Sarah Snook (All Her Fault)

Michelle Williams (Dying for Sex)

Robin Wright (The Girlfriend)

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television 

Jacob Elordi (The Narrow Road to the Deep North)

Paul Giamatti (Black Mirror)

Stephen Graham (Adolescence)

Charlie Hunnam (Monster: The Ed Gein Story)

Jude Law (Black Rabbit)

Matthew Rhys (The Beast in Me)

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role on Television 

Carrie Coon (The White Lotus)

Erin Doherty (Adolescence)

Hannah Einbinder (Hacks)

Catherine O’Hara (The Studio)

Parker Posey (The White Lotus)

Aimee Lou Wood (The White Lotus)

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role on Television 

Owen Cooper (Adolescence)

Billy Crudup (The Morning Show)

Walton Goggins (The White Lotus)

Jason Isaacs (The White Lotus)

Tramell Tillman (Severance)

Ashley Walters (Adolescence)

Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television

Bill Maher (Bill Maher: Is Anyone Else Seeing This?)

Brett Goldstein (Brett Goldstein: The Second Best Night of Your Life)

Kevin Hart (Kevin Hart: Acting My Age)

Kumail Nanjiani (Kumail Nanjiani: Night Thoughts)

Ricky Gervais (Ricky Gervais: Mortality)

Sarah Silverman (Sarah Silverman: Postmortem)

Best Podcast

Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard (Wondery)

Call Her Daddy (SiriusXM)

Good Hang With Amy Poehler (Spotify)

The Mel Robbins Podcast (SiriusXM)

SmartLess (SiriusXM)

Up First (NPR)

Box Office: ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ Opens to Huge $63M in U.S., ‘Zootopia 2’ Crosses $915M Globally

Animatronics are really doing well at the box office this time of year, especially with the follow-ups to Five Nights at Freddy's and Zootopia 2.

Five Nights at Freddy's 2, which came out two months after Black Phone 2, took the top spot on the domestic box office.

 It made a big $63 million from 3,412 theaters, setting a new record for the week after Thanksgiving. It also achieved several other important milestones.

Overseas, the movie made a good $46.1 million from 76 countries, reaching a global total of $109 million with a production cost of $36 million before advertising.

Critics didn't really like the movie — it has a low 13 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to 33 percent for the first film.

 But the audience really likes it. The movie got a B CinemaScore, which is not bad for a horror movie, and strong opening numbers. Even though it didn't match the $80 million opening of the first Five Nights at Freddy's, it's hard to compare because the ways people watch movies are different now.

Domestically, this sequel is now the second-best horror opening of the year so far, behind The Conjuring Last Rites.

 It's also the highest opening of the year for a PG-13 horror film, ahead of Predator: Badlands, and the highest December horror opening ever. Overseas, it's also the second-best opening of the year.

In 2023, the horror movie Five Nights at Freddy's made more than $300 million worldwide, based on the game series by Scott Cawthon.

 The movie features oversized animatronic animals at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. Josh Hutcherson and Emma Tammi, who directed the first, are back in the sequel.

The sequel made a huge $30.1 million on its first Friday, including previews.

Zootopia 2, the Thanksgiving movie from Walt Disney Animation, came in second in its third weekend with $43 million from 4,000 theaters, bringing its domestic total to $220.6 million.

 Overseas, the movie made another $219 million, taking its global total to $695.3 million and moving closer to the $1 billion mark. Only one other movie this year reached that amount — Disney's Lilo & Stitch.

In China, Zootopia is now the second most successful Hollywood movie of all time, with $430 million, behind Avengers: Endgame.

 In Japan, it has made $12.3 million, the second most for a Hollywood movie behind Frozen 2.

Zootopia has also been a big hit for Disney globally, now the top international film of the year among Western releases.

 It helped Disney reach the $5 billion mark in worldwide ticket sales for the second year in a row, which hasn't happened since 2018.

Wicked: For Good, directed by Jon M. Chu, had a big drop in its third weekend, down 73 percent to $16.8 million from 3,985 theaters, bringing its domestic total to $297 million.

 Still, it's behind the first Wicked, which made $322.1 million at the same point. Similar to Zootopia, Wicked 2 broke many box office records when it first came out. Executives believe it has more chances to make more money.

Overseas, Wicked: For Good made $13 million from 80 countries, taking its international total to $143.2 million and $440.1 million globally.

GKIDS' new anime movie, Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution, came in fourth in North America with $10 million from 1,823 theaters.

Two Lionsgate movies, Now You See Me: Now You Don't and Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, came in fourth and fifth.

Now You See Me has crossed $200 million in worldwide sales, with an additional $3.5 million domestically and $9 million overseas.

 Its total domestic box office is now $55.3 million and $154.3 million overseas, making the global total nearly $210 million.

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair made an impressive $3.25 million from 1,198 theaters.

 The movie brings together the first two parts of Kill Bill and adds a new anime sequence. The movie is over four hours long, including a 15-minute break.

At the specialty box office, Focus Features' film Hamnet came in eighth.

 It expanded to 744 theaters, making $2.3 million, for a total of $4.2 million. The plan is to release it slowly to take advantage of upcoming nominations.

Dec. 7, 7:56 a.m.: Updated with new estimates.

This story was first published on Dec. 6 at 9:39 a.m.

It’s Official: Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros. in Deal Valued at $82.7 Billion

Netflix, run by co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters, has agreed to buy Warner Bros. in a big deal worth $82.7 billion. This effort is called "Project Noble," and Netflix got $59 billion in money from banks to make the deal happen.

Netflix says this buy will give users more choices and help it plan better.

 It also wants to grow its movie and TV making, and save money for talent and investors, with savings of up to $3 billion every year. If the deal falls through, Netflix would still have to pay Warner Bros. Discovery $5.8 billion as a breakup fee.

The companies announced the deal early Friday, changing the entertainment landscape.

 Netflix says it will keep running Warner Bros. as usual, like showing movies in theaters, but details are still unclear. That lack of detail might cause some opposition to the deal.

Netflix also talked to creators, saying that combining its global reach with Warner Bros.' famous movies and shows will offer more opportunities for talent.

 It will let them work on popular stories and reach more people than ever.

WBD shareholders will get $23.25 in cash and $4.50 in Netflix shares for each share of WBD stock.

 The TV networks part, including CNN and TNT, will be split off and are expected to go public in the third quarter of 2026.

Ted Sarandos said he knows some people are surprised by the deal.

 He explained that even though Netflix has been known for making content, this is a rare chance to grow and keep moving forward. He mentioned how Netflix has changed from a DVD company to a global streaming giant.

Greg Peters said the deal will help Netflix grow and strengthen the entertainment industry for years.

 He praised Warner Bros. for its long history in entertainment and said combining their strengths will bring more content and options to viewers.

David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros.

 Discovery, said coming together with Netflix will help share great stories with people all over the world. He highlighted Warner Bros.' long history of making entertainment that resonates with audiences.

Netflix has become the top streaming service, and now it is moving into Hollywood.

 The deal is expected to face a lot of regulatory reviews. Meanwhile, it is understood that Netflix made the highest offer, allowing Warner Bros. Discovery to separate its networks and let its CFO become the new leader of that part.

Wall Street analysts think the deal is good because new content drives most of Netflix's viewership.

 They say that even though only 5% of titles on Netflix are from the last year, they make up over 20% of the viewing, showing how much content spending affects engagement.

Bank of America analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich, in a recent report, called the auction of WBD something like this: “The global media industry is on the edge of a big change, and WBD is right in the middle of it.” She said that if Netflix gets the deal for WBD’s studios and streaming parts, it could do a lot at once. She explained, “The fight over WBD’s streaming and studio parts shows how the media world is changing. Mid-sized old media companies can’t keep up with the cost structure of Netflix or the power of big tech companies like Amazon. In the end, an acquisition might be a big deal for both Paramount Skydance and NBCUniversal. So, besides any money benefits, if Netflix takes over WBD, it could help them a lot—because WBD would be part of Netflix, and Paramount and NBCUniversal might struggle to stay competitive.”

Morgan Stanley analyst Benjamin Swinburne also pointed out what Netflix could gain from the deal.

 He said, “What’s most interesting for Netflix is that it would get control of some big movie and TV brands that can make money for a long time—like DC Comics, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings. It would also get the people, the production stuff, and the global reach to distribute its stuff.”

The same goes for HBO and HBO Max.

 Swinburne said, “HBO has its own set of popular TV shows that it made over the years. It also has a brand that people still think of as high-quality TV. HBO has mostly moved to streaming, which means Netflix would have less trouble with the old ways of TV. We think only about 10 to 15 percent of its global subscribers are still paying through traditional TV services.”

The biggest problem with a Netflix-WBD deal is seen as being regulatory issues.

 But that’s more of a problem for Netflix than for WBD.

Even before the news about the exclusive talks, Bernstein analyst Laurent Yoon said going with Netflix’s offer was a win-win for WBD.

 He wrote, “WBD doesn’t have much to lose—unless it’s a good deal. If they get bought by Netflix, they’d get 85% in cash! Or they could walk away with a lot of money to grow. And more than $5 billion is enough to make over 20 big movies like Superman. That’s not a bad deal either.”

Many in Hollywood are worried about the deal.

 Cinema United, a group of theater owners, said in a statement, “The proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. by Netflix poses a huge threat to the global movie theater business.” Their president and CEO, Michael O’Leary, added, “The bad effects of this deal will hurt theaters from the biggest chains to small ones in towns everywhere. Cinema United is ready to help with changes that make more movies and give people more chances to go to the local theater. But Netflix’s business model doesn’t support theaters. In fact, it’s the opposite. Regulators need to look at this deal closely and understand the bad effects it might have on people, theaters, and the entertainment industry.”

The Directors Guild also said the deal raises “serious concerns.”

Now Hollywood has to think about a huge deal that could change the media world in a way never seen before.

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ Makes $7.2 Million in Previews Box Office

It's time to go back to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza because "Five Nights at Freddy's" is back in theaters.

Universal and Blumhouse's PG-13 horror sequel "Five Nights at Freddy's 2" made $7.2 million in Thursday previews.

 It's expected to make between $35 million and $40 million in its opening this weekend.

Compared to the original 2023 movie, which was based on the popular horror video game series, this sequel has lower expectations.

 The first movie made $10.3 million in previews and went on to earn a strong $80 million opening. That was more than expected, especially since it came out at the same time on Peacock. However, the original was a huge hit, becoming Blumhouse's highest-grossing movie with nearly $300 million worldwide. The sequel has a budget of $36 million, which is higher than the first movie's $20 million. This should help it stay in theaters during the holiday season and make a profit.

Josh Hutcherson, Matthew Lillard, Elizabeth Lail, and Piper Rubio are back for more animatronic scares at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.

 The robots become creepy killers at night. Director Emma Tammi and writer and video game series creator Scott Cawthon are both returning for the sequel. Newcomers include McKenna Grace, Teo Briones, Freddy Carter, and others.

However, last week's Thanksgiving winner "Zootopia 2" is expected to make $44 million to $50 million, a big drop from its $98 million opening.

 Universal's "Wicked: For Good" is heading for $21 million to $25 million in its third weekend.

Other new movies include "Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution," which is projected to earn $8 million to $10 million; Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair," expected to make $5 million to $10 million; and a filmed version of Broadway's "Merrily We Roll Along" and the British comedy "Fackham Hall," both expected to make around $3 million.