Elon Musk invests ~$1 billion in Skydance
Semafor reports that Musk has put roughly $1 billion into David Ellison’s Skydance shortly after Paramount completed its ~$110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery earlier this month. The combined company (now trading as Skydance) controls Warner Bros., Paramount, HBO, CNN, and major franchises. The investment is drawing heavy attention amid debt concerns, recent share volatility after warrant distributions, and speculation about influence over CNN and broader content direction.
Mark Zuckerberg Threatened to Leave California. Meta’s Board Cut Him a Deal
Proposed Tax Threat: Mark Zuckerberg considered moving out of California due to Proposition 40, a proposed wealth tax that would levy a one-time 5% tax on individuals with net assets of $1 billion or more.
Financial Impact: To cover the multi-billion-dollar tax bill without the deal, Zuckerberg would have needed to sell voting shares. That would have dropped his voting control in Meta from 60.6% to around 53%.
The Deal with Meta’s Board: Meta’s board approved the creation of a new class of nonvoting shares (Class C). This structure allows Zuckerberg to immediately sell up to 20% of these new shares (10% of his total financial stake) to pay for potential tax liabilities or other reasons without losing his voting power.
Residency Commitment: In exchange, Zuckerberg agreed to maintain his primary residence in California (or wherever Meta is headquartered) for the next eight years. [WSJ]
Barco and VUE Expand EPIC into Germany with CinemaxX, One of Germany’s Best-Known Cinema Operators
Barco, the leading provider of laser cinema, and Vue, Europe’s largest privately owned cinema operator, announced today the expansion of EPIC into Germany. The rollout will begin with five CinemaxX theaters this year, including Stuttgart, Berlin and Magdebrug which are now open, with Freiburg and Bielefeld to follow in the coming months. The move comes on the heels of the one-year anniversary of the launch of EPIC, Vue’s premium large format which is powered by groundbreaking HDR by Barco laser projection with Lightsteering technology for a vivid and immersive-feeling audiovisual experience.
SQUARE ENIX’s FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE Now Available on All Major Platforms
Today, SQUARE ENIX launched FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE, the first HD-2D game in the FINAL FANTASY series, on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, XBOX Series X|S, PC via Steam and XBOX on PC. Players interested in checking out the game before purchase can play the free demo, with save data carrying over on all platforms.
The first HD-2D game in the FINAL FANTASY series, FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE, is a celebration of classic and modern FINAL FANTASY that evokes the beloved titles of yesteryear. This tale of Crystals features a strategic turn-based battle system with a modern twist, the return of chocobos, espers and airships, in addition to appearances from beloved FINAL FANTASY characters such as Cloud, Tidus and the Warrior of Light – all presented in stunning, retro-inspired HD-2D graphics that push the limits of pixel art. FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE is based on the first story arc of the mobile game FINAL FANTASY Brave Exvius. Far from just a direct port, it has been refined and extensively rebuilt as a full-fledged console-quality RPG experience.
The game follows a memorable cast of characters led by Rain, a knight of the Kingdom of Grandshelt, who is exceptionally skilled and entrusted with commanding an airship squadron at a young age. He teams up with childhood friend Laswell to embark on a journey filled with dramatic twists and turns, emotional moments and epic confrontations.
For more information, visit https://www.square-enix.com/finalfantasyresonance.
Teaser Trailer Drops for Florian Zeller’s BUNKER – written for & starring Javier Bardem & Penélope Cruz.
Miguel (Javier Bardem), a successful London architect, considers a prestigious offer to build a survivalist bunker for a tech billionaire (Paul Dano). This project causes his wife, Sofia (Penélope Cruz), to question their relationship of 17 years as they are drawn deeper into a life of extreme wealth, paranoia, and fear. The intrusion of an unsettling neighbor becomes yet another source of anxiety. Bunker is a psychological thriller that examines the emotional and moral challenges faced by a couple in an increasingly uncertain world.
