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    Warner Bros. sends “Scoob!” straight to on-demand

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments1315 Views
    This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows characters Shaggy, voiced by Will Forte, left, and Scooby-Doo, voiced by Frank Welker, in a scene from the animated film "Scoob!" The Scooby-Doo film will bypass theaters and premiere directly on digital platforms, Warner Bros. said Tuesday, making it the latest studio to experiment with an on-demand release during the pandemic shutdown. (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

    By Jake Coyle, Film Writer

    NEW YORK (AP) --

    The animated Scooby-Doo film "Scoob!" will bypass theaters and premiere directly on digital platforms, Warner Bros. said Tuesday, making it the latest studio to experiment with an on-demand release during the pandemic shutdown. 

    "Scoob!" had originally been set to open in theaters on May 15. But instead, on the same date, it will be available for a $20 digital rental and $25 digital purchase. 

    Warner Bros. joins Universal Pictures and the Walt Disney Co. in testing the video on demand waters while theaters remain shuttered and moviegoers are locked down at home. So far, the largest movies to make the movie have been family films. Universal earlier this month sent "Trolls World Tour" to on-demand. Disney has said "Artemis Fowl" will go straight to streaming on Disney Plus in June. 

    "While we're all eager to be able to once again show our films in theaters, we're navigating new, unprecedented times which call for creative thinking and adaptability in how we distribute our content," said Ann Sarnoff, Warner Bros. chief executive, in a statement. 

    Universal claimed "Trolls World Tour" set a new high mark for digital rentals, though it declined to share how much the film made. Paramount Pictures also sold one of its upcoming releases, the romantic comedy "Lovebirds," to Netflix. 

    The major studios have otherwise postponed their top releases to late summer, the fall or next year. Warner Bros. on Monday reshuffled its release schedule for films including "The Batman" and a "Sopranos" prequel. The studio's next scheduled theatrical releases are Christopher Nolan's "Tenet" on July 17 and "Wonder Woman 1984" on Aug. 14. Warner Bros. on Tuesday also moved the adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's "In the Heights," originally planned for this summer, to summer 2021. 

    "Scoob," which features a voice cast including Will Forte, Gina Rodriguez, Zac Efron and Amanda Seyfried, follows how Scooby and Shaggy first met. 

    Warner Bros. opted not to send "Scoob!" straight to its streaming service, HBO Max, even though the timing nearly lines up. HBO Max launches on May 27.

    Tags:coronavirusScoob!Warner Bros.



    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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