Michael Jackson Biopic THRILLS Audiences
#michaeljackson #paramount #marvel #starwars
## 1. *Michael* Biopic Smashes Box Office Records
[Read on Variety](
- Antoine Fuqua's Michael Jackson biopic starring Jaafar Jackson (MJ's real-life nephew) debuted to a record-breaking $97M domestically and $217M globally — the biggest opening weekend ever for a music biopic, surpassing *Straight Outta Compton*.
- Despite a largely negative critical reception (38% on Rotten Tomatoes, citing mission impossible rogue nation a "sanitised" take on Jackson's life), audiences gave it an A- CinemaScore and a 96% audience score — people are literally dancing in the aisles.
- The film notably had to remove dramatisations of the 1993 allegations due to a clause in a legal settlement, leading to a third-act overhaul and reshoots in 2025. A sequel is already being considered.
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## 2. WGA Ratifies New 4-Year Deal With Studios
[Read on The Wrap](
- The Writers Guild of America ratified its new contract with the AMPTP by an overwhelming 90.4% majority this week
- The deal includes $280M in new studio contributions to the WGA health plan
- The AMPTP will now resume negotiations with SAG-AFTRA
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## 3. Jeff Shell Out as Paramount President — Again
[Read on Variety](
- Jeff Shell has exited his role as President of Paramount Skydance
- This is Shell's second high-profile exit in three years: he was fired from NBCUniversal in 2023
- Shell received a $60.7M pay package in 2025. His separation agreement with Paramount has now been finalised.
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## 4. *Stranger Things: Tales From ’85* Launches on Netflix
[Read on Netflix Tudum](
- Netflix dropped all 10 episodes of the animated Stranger Things spin-off on April 23, set in the winter of 1985 between Seasons 2 and 3 of the main show
- Executive produced by the Duffer Brothers and Shawn Levy, it follows the Hawkins kids facing new Upside Down threats; showrunner Eric Robles drew inspiration from 1980s Saturday-morning cartoons like The Real Ghostbusters and Scooby-Doo.
- Critics were mixed (65% on Rotten Tomatoes), calling it more family-friendly and entry-level compared to the live-action show — though fans have welcomed the return to Hawkins.
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## 5. Warner Bros. Discovery Shareholders Approve Paramount's $111bn Mega-Takeover
[Read on BBC News](
- Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders voted overwhelmingly on April 23 to approve Paramount Skydance's $111 billion acquisition — offering WBD investors $31 per share, a 147% premium on the stock's price a year ago, when it was trading at around $8.
- The deal hands Paramount control of the entire WBD empire: HBO, Max, Warner Bros. film studio, DC Studios, CNN, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and all of its cable assets — assets that Netflix had previously tried to acquire before Paramount launched a successful hostile counter-bid.
- Shareholders also symbolically voted *against* the proposed executive exit packages — CEO David Zaslav stood to receive up to $887M on completion. The deal is expected to close in Q3 2026, pending regulatory clearance, and would create one of the largest media companies in history.
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## 6. Star Wars & Marvel Quick Hits
- **Galaxy’s Edge (Disneyland) timeline expands** starting **Apr 29, 2026**, meaning Batuu can now feature video game **original-trilogy-era characters** (Luke/Han/Leia) *and* **Darth Vader**/Imperials. [Read on]( [StarWars.com](
- **Lucasfilm Animation’s *Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord** *premiered on Disney+ April 6, 2026, with two episodes weekly and the final episodes slated for May the 4th**. [Read on Disney Studios](
- **Theatrical return:** *The Mandalorian and Grogu* is still dated for **May 22, 2026**, and early box office tracking chatter has it in the **~$90M–$100M** opening weekend range. [Read on Star Wars News Net](
### Marvel
- **Daredevil keeps rolling on Disney+:** *Daredevil: Born Again* Season 2 continues weekly through April (with the run heading toward a May finale, per Disney+ schedule reporting). [Read on al pacino CBR](
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