Netflix-Warner Bros. merger, CBS News overhaul, box office records, LAFCA Awards...

The Netflix–Warner Bros. acquisition continues to send shockwaves through the industry, with The Hollywood Reporter revealing that Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos's recent meeting with Donald Trump may have been pivotal in sealing the deal, as Netflix aims to acquire Warner Bros.' storied film and TV studios, HBO Max, and gaming assets. Variety notes that Oscar-winning director Sean Baker voiced concern at the Red Sea Film Festival, insisting filmmakers must "put our foot down" to protect theatrical windows and resist the temptation of mega-budget studio deals, even as the $8.4 billion merger promises new opportunities. Baker's position reflects growing unease among indie filmmakers about the concentration of power and creative control in the hands of streaming giants. Hollywood Reporter Variety

Amid the sweeping changes at CBS News following the Paramount–Skydance merger and Bari Weiss's appointment, veteran journalist Connie Chung has publicly criticized the network's new direction, telling Deadline that "truth doesn't hold value anymore" under what she describes as "greedy owners." Chung, a CBS alum since the 1970s, expressed distress at the newsroom's culture shift, reflecting broader anxieties about journalistic independence and the future of legacy news organizations. Deadline

The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) gathered for its 51st annual awards, continuing its tradition of championing artistically ambitious films that often foreshadow Oscar success. Variety observes that last year’s winner, "Anora," exemplifies LAFCA’s influence in spotlighting daring cinema, while Deadline highlights Philip Kaufman receiving the Career Achievement Award at this year’s ceremony. This year’s awards underline both the organization's commitment to cinematic innovation and its lasting impact on the awards season. Variety Deadline

Variety reports a robust weekend at the box office, with "Five Nights at Freddy’s 2" debuting to $63 million domestically, far surpassing expectations and demonstrating the enduring appeal of video game adaptations. Meanwhile, "Zootopia 2" has crossed the $900 million global milestone, cementing its place as a family favorite. Deadline adds that "Predator: Badlands" has become the highest-grossing entry in its 38-year franchise, edging out "Alien vs. Predator" and reflecting the sustained appetite for established intellectual properties. Variety Deadline

Peacock is set to unite sports and reality TV fandoms with "Reality Hot Seat," an alternative broadcast for Sunday Night Football that brings together Bravo and NFL communities. Deadline underscores how this experimental simulcast, featuring the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs, manifests the growing convergence of entertainment and sports content on streaming platforms, aiming to capture diverse and passionate audiences. Deadline

Indie filmmaking voices are rising in response to industry consolidation. Both the Hollywood Reporter and Variety capture director Sean Baker's insistence on maintaining theatrical exclusivity for his films after sweeping the Oscars, resisting the lure of big-budget studio productions in the wake of the Netflix–Warner Bros. deal. This stance, echoed by peers at the Red Sea Film Festival, signals a growing movement among auteurs to preserve creative autonomy and cinematic tradition. Hollywood Reporter Variety

Variety spotlights the Marrakech Film Festival as a bellwether for Morocco's burgeoning film sector, now producing around 40 films annually compared to only five when the festival launched in 2001. The festival’s Atlas Workshops are cited as pivotal in nurturing new Moroccan voices such as Leyna Tahiri, Driss Ramdi, Youssef Michraf, and Meriame Essadak, reflecting a broader trend toward regional talent development and international recognition in Arab cinema. Variety

Variety reports that Chen Deming’s "Always" won the top prize at the Singapore International Film Festival’s Silver Screen Awards, a testament to the globalizing reach of Asian cinema. The U.S.-France-China-Taiwan co-production's success highlights the increasingly international nature of regional film competitions and the cross-cultural collaborations shaping the modern cinematic landscape. Variety

Variety exclusively reveals that Isabelle Huppert has joined as executive producer on the acclaimed live-action short “Two People Exchanging Saliva,” an absurdist dystopian film that premiered at Telluride. The project, led by Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh, exemplifies how established talent is backing experimental cinema, helping propel unconventional narratives to wider audiences. Variety

The NY Times commemorates Fern Michaels, the prolific romance novelist who built a women’s fiction empire from her New Jersey home, leaving an indelible mark on popular literature. Meanwhile, both Vogue and Deadline pay tribute to Martin Parr, the influential British photographer whose saturated, satirical depictions of everyday life captured the quirks and beauty of British culture. Parr’s passing is noted as a significant loss for the documentary photography world, with his legacy seen as both humorous and deeply human. The NY Times Vogue Deadline