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    Luc Besson wows Comic-Con with early “Valerian” footage 

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments1882 Views
    Director/producer/writer Luc Besson, from left, producer Virginie Besson-Silla, Cara Delevingne and Dane DeHaan attend the "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets" panel on day 1 of Comic-Con International on Thursday, July 21, 2016, in San Diego. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
    SAN DIEGO (AP) --

    Comic-Con audiences got a sneak peek at seven minutes of heart-racing action Thursday afternoon in footage from the upcoming sci-fi epic "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets."

    Director Luc Besson, best known for frenetic and colorful sci-fi spectacles like "The Fifth Element" and "Lucy," said that he's been infatuated with "Valerian," based on the long-running comic series "Valérian and Laureline" since he was 10 years old.

    The film, an expensive extravaganza from EuropaCorp, stars Dane DeHaan as Valerian and Cara Delevigne as Laureline as time-traveling agents investigating galactic landscapes.

    DeHaan described his character as a "space bro."

    The footage shown was still very raw, as the film is still in the works and doesn't hit theaters until next summer. But it received rapturous applause from the estimated 6,000-person audience.

    Tags:Comic-ConLuc Besson



    DirecTV calls off acquisition of rival Dish, possibly ending a yearslong pursuit

    Friday, November 22, 2024
    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

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