In this April 29, 2013, file photo, Ted Sarandos, Jason Bateman, and Mitchell Hurwitz attend the season four premiere of "Arrested Development" at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) --
Netflix says the cast of "Arrested Development" has signed on for a fifth season of the comedy that will return to the streaming service next year.
Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, Jeffrey Tambor, Will Arnett and the rest of the series regulars will reprise their roles in the show that follows the Bluth family. Series creator Mitchell Hurwitz is also on board.
Hurwitz says he's "grateful" to Netflix and Fox "for making this dream of mine come true."
"Arrested Development" ran on Fox for three seasons from 2003 to 2006 before being canceled. Netflix brought the show back for a fourth season in 2013.
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
