First Pass

97 stories from 13 sources

Hollywood consolidation and streaming expansion define the day

Day’s Recap

Supporting Articles

The proposed Paramount-Warner merger has raised concerns about the editorial independence of CNN and CBS. Those concerns center on the chairman’s family ties to Donald Trump and Israel, which critics say could influence coverage and corporate decision-making.

9:56 AMAl Jazeera

David Ellison has completed his $111 billion deal to combine Paramount and Warner Bros., creating one of Hollywood's largest media companies. The next challenge is integrating the businesses and operating the enlarged group effectively.

6:28 AMFinancial Times

Disney confirmed that Disney+ will stream the 2027 Super Bowl, extending the company’s role in distributing one of television’s most valuable live events.

1:10 PMBloomberg Markets

Chinese studios are using generative AI models from ByteDance and Kling to produce 100-minute short dramas for less than $3,000. The rapid adoption raises questions about whether AI will expand Asian entertainment production or displace the workers and business models behind it.

3:00 AMFortune

Nana Patekar, known for his intense performances, has died at 75. His work established a distinctive presence in Indian cinema.

2:00 AMBBC

Eva Marie Saint has died at 102. She won an Oscar for “On the Waterfront” and later starred opposite Cary Grant in Alfred Hitchcock’s “North by Northwest.”

3:37 AMBBC

Other Developments

A curated list of other prominent stories from this day.

Danny and Oxide Pang’s supernatural crime thriller The Mage, starring Josie Ho, will be presented to international buyers at Busan’s Asian Contents & Film Market. Southeast Asian distributor Abnormal Studios is handling buyer meetings as the film begins opening in its first Asian territories.

11:59 PMVariety

Jesse Eisenberg premiered The Debut at the New York Film Festival and praised Julianne Moore’s performance as ideal for the film. The movie is Eisenberg’s third feature as a writer-director and follows his Oscar-winning film A Real Pain.

11:27 PMVariety

Hayley Williams’ solo performances at the Hollywood Bowl, including two sold-out shows, demonstrated the scale of her career beyond Paramore. The concerts presented her solo work as a substantial artistic identity rather than a side project.

11:09 PMVariety

Sebastian Stan said he has not seen the finished Avengers: Doomsday, despite returning as Bucky Barnes. He expects the film to be emotionally painful and hinted that not every character may survive.

10:44 PMVariety

The article praises the second season of Fargo as the strongest installment of the FX crime anthology, with Kirsten Dunst’s performance identified as a major reason for its appeal. The season’s detective-thriller structure and tightly constructed story make it an especially easy binge.

10:00 PMPolygon

Samuel L. Jackson says Nick Fury will not appear in Avengers: Doomsday but will return for Avengers: Secret Wars.

6:02 PMIGN

Make it yours

Build Your First Pass.

Pick your topics, set your cadence, and receive your personalized First Pass in your inbox. It’s that simple!