This May 29, 2019 file photo shows Adam Sandler at the "Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh" FYC event in Los Angeles. Netflix announced Friday that Sandler and his Happy Madison Productions have reached a new deal with them to make four more films. He’s had five films with the studio along with the stand-up special “Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh.” (Photo by Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) --
Expect more Adam Sandler in your Netflix feed.
The streaming giant announced Friday that Sandler and his Happy Madison Productions have reached a new deal with Netflix to make four more films. He's had five films with the studio along with the stand-up special "Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh."
Netflix leader Ted Sarandos said the company is excited to extend its partnership with Sandler, because audiences "love his stories and his humor." The company said his 2019 comedy "Murder Mystery" starring him and Jennifer Aniston was the most popular film on Netflix in the U.S. last year and one of the most popular in eight other countries.
Sandler's latest film "Uncut Gems," which was released in theaters last year to critical acclaim, will premiere on Netflix in May. Later this year, the actor will star in "Hubie Halloween" with Kevin James, Julie Bowen and Maya Rudolph.
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
