In this Jan. 14, 2017 file photo, Jude Law attends the "The Young Pope" panel at the HBO portion of the 2017 Winter Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)
NEW YORK (AP) --
Jude Law will play young Albus Dumbledore in the next "Fantastic Beasts" installment.
Warner Bros. announced the casting Tuesday. The iconic wizard was played by two actors in the "Harry Potter" films, beginning with Richard Harris. After his death in 2002, Michael Gambon inherited the role.
J.K. Rowling, who has said Dumbledore is gay, has previously teased that the five-part prequel franchise of "Fantastic Beasts" will explore a more "troubled" time in Dumbledore's life. The author said, "We'll see him at that formative period of his life. As far as his sexuality is concerned, watch this space."
Production on the next "Fantastic Beasts" film is to begin this summer, with a release scheduled for November next year. Last year's "Fantastic Beasts" grossed $813 worldwide.
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
