Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery announce deal
In this photo illustration, the logo of Warner Bros. Discovery is displayed on a computer screen in Ankara, Turkiye, on August 12, 2025. (Photo by Omer Taha Cetin/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Warner Bros Discovery has agreed to a deal with Paramount Skydance, the two companies confirmed Friday in a news release.
According to the release, under the terms of the agreement, Paramount plans to pay “$31.00 per share in cash for all outstanding shares of WBD.”
“The merger unlocks innovative and compelling storytelling opportunities across the combined company’s best-in-class film and television studios, streaming and linear platforms,” the release stated.
According to the release, the board of directors of both companies approved the deal unanimously.
The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, “subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory clearances and approval by WBD shareholders, with a vote expected in the early spring of 2026.”
Key art for final season of ‘The Upshaws’ (Courtesy of Netflix)
Season 5 (also billed as Part 7) of The Upshaws premieres on Netflix Wednesday, giving fans one final set of stories from the titular family. Dewayne Perkins, who plays their neighbor Hector, a recurring character on the series, spoke to ABC Audio about the show coming to an end.
“It’s sad because I really enjoyed it, but it’s been a beautiful journey. A lot of shows don’t last for that long, especially now in the way that the industry is functioning. So to get five seasons I think is a great feat. And I grew up watching multi-cams, I feel like multi-cams are a big reason why I am doing what I’m doing.“
Dewayne also expressed pride in being part of a show that made space for gay stories.
“To be a part of that feels historic,” he says. “To be able to present gay stories in a Black sitcom … is really cool and something that I’m very proud to be a part of.”
He added that he’s thankful to have worked alongside some industry veterans. “Being able to work with legends like Wanda [Sykes], Mike [Epps], like Kim [Fields], it’s just, it was pretty fantastic,” he says. “So I’m just grateful to have been a part it.”
L-R Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander and Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov in ‘Heated Rivalry’ (Sabrina Lantos)
From BookTok to your TV screen: The much-buzzed-about steamy hockey romance seriesHeated Rivalry debuts its first two episodes on HBO Max Friday.
The six-episode series, created by Jacob Tierney and based on the popular novels by Rachel Reid, follows Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, two rival hockey players who start a secret relationship in their rookie season that ends up spanning years. Hudson Williams plays wholesome Canadian superstar Shane, opposite Connor Storrie as Russian bad boy Ilya.
Tierney, Williams and Storrie say seeing the fan excitement grow online before the show has even aired feels “surreal” and “crazy.”
“It just makes me so excited for them to see the show,” Storrie tells ABC Audio. “Because if this is the reaction without, I can’t imagine some of the reactions to what we end up actually doing.”
The faithful adaptation has enough heat to melt the ice, thanks to the chemistry between Williams and Storrie, but the characters’ evolving love story against all odds is what has resonated deeply with fans.
“[The emotional scenes] felt like an extension of the physical ones, especially after establishing our relationship as Connor and Hudson,” Williams says. “It helped just allow us to go anywhere as Shane and Ilya with just sort of innate trust in each other.”
Tierney says the characters are “like high school sweethearts” in a way, who just “can’t shake each other.” “I think there’s something so romantic and swoony about that, that I think that’s partly why they stand out from the pack,” he says.
Shia LaBeouf attends the ‘Megalopolis’ red carpet at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 16, 2024, in Cannes, France. (Mike Marsland/WireImage via Getty Images)
Shia LaBeouf has been arrested in New Orleans after allegedly assaulting two men, according to police.
He is facing two counts of simple battery, the New Orleans Police Department said in a statement to ABC News on Tuesday.
Investigators say LaBeouf allegedly assaulted the two men outside a business on Royal Street.
“At approximately 12:45am on February 17, 2026, NOPD officers were called to the 1400 block of Royal Street in response to a simple battery where two victims (two adult males), reported being assaulted,” police stated. “Investigators say a man identified as 39-year-old Shia LaBeouf was reportedly causing a disturbance and becoming increasing aggressive at a Royal Street business.”
According to the statement, a staff member at the Royal Street business tried to remove LaBeouf, 39, from the establishment, and once outside, the actor allegedly struck one of the victims with “closed fists” several times.
Police said the Transformers star then left the area but returned and allegedly continued to act aggressively, at which point “multiple” people tried to restrain him.
“He was eventually let up in hopes that he would leave — but he reportedly again struck the same victim with closed fists to the victim’s upper body,” the department stated. “LaBeouf then reportedly assaulted another person — punching him in the nose.”
According to police, LaBeouf was then restrained again and “held down” until officers arrived on the scene. The department said the actor was later taken to a hospital “for treatment of unspecified injuries” before being arrested and charged with two counts of simple battery.
The incident occurred amid Lundi Gras celebrations in New Orleans.
ABC News has reached out to LaBeouf’s representative for comment.
