This July 16, 2014 file photo shows US director Matt Reeves during the Spain premiere of the movie "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" in Madrid, Spain. (AP Photo/Abraham Caro Marin, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) --
"Cloverfield" director Matt Reeves has stepped in to direct "The Batman" for Warner Bros. just a few weeks after star Ben Affleck left the post. Warner Bros. said Thursday that Reeves would also produce the stand-alone film.
Reeves, also known for directing "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," said he's loved the Batman story since he was a child and is honored and excited to "bring an epic and emotional new take on the Caped Crusader to the big screen."
Affleck, who is also writing the screenplay, dropped out of directing the project in late January citing the focus required to play the superhero. He'll appear next as Batman in "Justice League" which comes out in November.
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
