In this Feb. 15, 2015 file photo, Will Ferrell arrives at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
NEW YORK (AP) --
A new thriller starring Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig will air later this month on Lifetime after experiencing some real-life drama of its own.
The network says "A Deadly Adoption" will premiere June 20 at 8 p.m. EDT.
But the fate of the film seemed in question a few weeks ago when its planned secrecy was spoiled. Ferrell then issued a statement that he and Wiig thought it was "in the best interest for everyone to forego the project entirely."
Although there was no further comment from the "Saturday Night Live" alums, Ferrell's statement was assumed to be a joke.
The movie is described as a high-stakes dramatic thriller about a couple (Ferrell and Wiig) who house and care for a pregnant woman (Jessica Lowndes of "90210") during the final months of her pregnancy with the hopes of adopting her unborn child.
Dish Network satellite dishes are shown at an apartment complex in Palo Alto, Calif., Feb. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)
DirecTV is calling off its planned acquisition of rival Dish after the offer was rejected by bond holders at that company.
The deal was reliant on Dish bond holders agreeing to trade in the debt they held for debt in the new company, a swap that would have cost them about $1.6 billion, collectively.
The retreat by DirecTV this week may end a years-long effort by the company to acquire both Dish and Sling after it announced the bid in September.
DirecTV was looking to acquire Dish TV and Sling TV from its owner EchoStar in a debt exchange transaction that included a payment of $1, plus the assumption of approximately $9.8 billion in debt. The deal was contingent on several factors, including regulatory approvals and bondholders writing off debt related to Dish.
"While we believed a combination of DirecTV and Dish would have benefited all stakeholders, we have terminated the transaction because the proposed exchange terms were necessary to protect DirecTV's balance sheet and our operational flexibility," DirecTV CEO Bill Morrow said in a statement.
The prospect of a DirecTV-Dish combo has long been rumored, and reported talks resurfaced over the years. And the two almost merged more than two decades ago — but the Federal Communications Commission blocked the deal valued at the time at $18.5 billion deal, citing antitrust concerns.
The pay-for-TV market has shifted significantly since. As more and more consumers tune into online streaming platforms, demand for more traditional satellite entertainment continues to shrink.
DirecTV says that it will continue to invest in next-generation streaming platforms and offer new packaging options while integrating content from live TV alongside direct-to-consumer... Read More
