In this Sept. 12, 2015 file photo, Elizabeth Banks poses for photographers upon arrival at the awards ceremony for the 72nd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) --
Elizabeth Banks is coming back to the world of a cappella to direct "Pitch Perfect 3."
Universal Pictures made the announcement Tuesday. The actress and producer made her directorial debut with this summer's "Pitch Perfect 2." The $29 million film has grossed $286 million worldwide to date.
A follow-up was green-lit soon after the sequel's release, with Banks and husband Max Handelman returning as producers, but it had been unclear at that time whether Banks would decide to direct the third film.
"Pitch Perfect 3" is set for release Aug. 4, 2017. It will bring back stars Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow and Banks. Kay Cannon, who wrote the first two films, is set to pen the screenplay.
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
