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    Warren Ellis, Gale Anne Hurd adapting “El Pantera” for TV

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments853 Views
    In this Sept. 2, 2013 file photo, Gale Anne Hurd, producer of "The Walking Dead," poses during a photo call at the 39th American Film Festival, in Deauville, Normandy, western France. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau, File)
    LOS ANGELES (AP) --

    Graphic novelist Warren Ellis and "The Walking Dead" producer Gale Anne Hurd will adapt the Mexican comic book series "El Pantera" for the small screen, Universal Cable Productions announced Wednesday.

    Based on the popular 1970s comic, "El Pantera" is a crime drama set in a fictional town on the U.S.-Mexico border where a young officer and his wrongfully imprisoned friend create an underground vigilante group to combat the mob.

    Televisia, which will co-produce, adapted a Spanish-language series based on the comic in 2007.

    Ellis is best known for "Gun Machine" and "Iron Man: Extremis," which served as the basis for the film "Iron Man 3." This will be Ellis' first original TV series.

    "Every network, studio and show creator needs to stretch the boundaries of genre in order to grab and hold the attention of an increasingly sophisticated audience," said Jeff Wachtel, president of Universal Cable Productions.

    Ellis and Hurd, he said, are "visionaries and the ideal partners to bring Mexico's iconic comic 'El Pantera' to life."

    Tags:El PanteraGale Anne HurdTelevisaThe Walking Dead



    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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