Elon Musk Reportedly Makes $1 Billion Bet on Skydance
Elon Musk has reportedly invested roughly $1 billion in Skydance, providing fresh capital as the company integrates Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery following its Oct. 6 acquisition. The combined media business is targeting $6 billion in cost savings over three years while carrying nearly $80 billion in debt. The investment also deepens Muskโs ties to the Ellison family: Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison previously backed Muskโs $44 billion acquisition of Twitter.
Inde Navarrette, Druski, John Mulaney to Host Upcoming ‘SNL’ Episodes
Saturday Night Live has announced its next three hosts: Obsession star Inde Navarrette, comedian and content creator Druski, and returning host John Mulaney. Navarrette will lead the Halloween episode on Oct. 31 with musical guest Gracie Abrams. Druski makes his hosting debut on Nov. 7, joined by The Strokes, before launching his Netflix comedy series Collect and Praise in December. Mulaney closes out the run on Nov. 14 for his seventh hosting appearance, alongside Phoebe Bridgers.
Spotify Hits 306M Paying Subscribers as Revenue Jumps 16%
Spotify closed the third quarter with 306 million paying subscribers, up 6 million from the previous quarter and ahead of its forecast. Revenue rose 16% year over year to โฌ5 billion ($5.6 billion), while operating income reached โฌ672 million. The streaming giant expects premium subscribers to climb to 316 million by year-end as it continues investing in growth. Co-CEO Gustav Sรถderstrรถm also argued Spotify is positioned to thrive as AI agents reshape how people interact with technology.
Kylie Jenner Stars in Stella McCartney’s Winter 2026 Campaign Film
Kylie Jenner stars in a new short film for Stella McCartneyโs winter 2026 collection, directed by Gia Coppola. Set along the Pacific coast, the film features Jenner alongside a trained horse, reflecting McCartneyโs longstanding commitment to animal welfare and cruelty-free fashion. The campaign showcases faux fur, lace, chainmail, and thigh-high riding boots, as well as the new Appaloosa bag inspired by McCartney’s mother’s stallion. The American Humane Society monitored the shoot.
Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, Disney Enter 2030 World Cup U.S. Rights Race
FIFA has opened bidding for U.S. media rights to the 2030 Menโs World Cup, with offers due Nov. 19 and a winner expected by year-end. Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, and Disney are among the potential bidders, with rights to the 2034 tournament also available. FIFA is open to deals with a single broadcaster or partnerships between streamers and traditional networks. The 2026 tournament averaged 13.5 million U.S. viewers per match, up 166% from 2022.
Neon, Mamdani Team Up for Free ‘Once Upon a Time in Harlem’ Screenings
Neon and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani are teaming up to offer four free screenings of Once Upon a Time in Harlem across the city on Oct. 24โ25. The documentary captures a 1972 gathering of Harlem Renaissance artists filmed by the late William Greaves at Duke Ellingtonโs home. Released this month after decades of unfinished work, the film won the 2026 Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Film Prize and earned five Critics Choice Documentary Award nominations.
Wiz Khalifa Returns to Warner Music Group With 10K Projects Deal
Wiz Khalifa is returning to Warner Music Group, signing with 10K Projects ahead of the release of his new single, โThe Calm.โ The deal reunites the multi-platinum rapper with Marsha St. Hubert, the labelโs co-president and a longtime collaborator. Khalifaโs move comes as he racks up new RIAA certifications, including a 16-times-platinum designation for โSee You Againโ and Diamond status for โBlack & Yellowโ and โYoung, Wild, & Free.โ An album could arrive in the coming weeks.
President Trump Must Testify in $10B Defamation Case Against BBC
President Donald Trump must testify under oath in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC, a federal judge ruled Thursday, setting a Dec. 11 deadline for his deposition. Trump sued in December 2025 over a Panorama episode that edited his Jan. 6, 2021, speech, allegedly creating the impression he directly encouraged violence. The BBC apologized for the edit but is seeking to dismiss the case, arguing the broadcast does not meet the legal standard for defamation.
Bose Acquires Skullcandy in Push to Reach Younger Audio Consumers
Bose has acquired Skullcandy, adding the lifestyle audio brand to its portfolio as it looks to reach younger consumers and action sports fans. Financial terms were not disclosed, and Skullcandy will continue operating independently within Boseโs premium consumer audio division, retaining its Park City, Utah, headquarters and athlete partnerships. The deal builds on a multi-year technology partnership between the companies, which brought Boseโs noise-cancellation and spatial-audio technology to select Skullcandy products.
Comcast Prepares Major Layoffs Ahead of NBCUniversal Spin-Off
Comcast is preparing major layoffs across its cable and telecom operations as it restructures ahead of NBCUniversalโs planned 2027 spin-off. The company expects to record more than $1 billion in restructuring charges during the fourth quarter, CFO Jason Armstrong said. The cuts are expected to focus on Comcastโs cable business rather than NBCU. The overhaul comes as Comcast faces continued broadband and pay-TV subscriber losses while pursuing growth in wireless and business services.
Gap Inc. to Receive Amazon Fashion Innovation Award at CFDA Awards
Gap Inc. will receive the fifth annual Amazon Fashion Innovation Award at the CFDA Fashion Awards on Nov. 2 in New York, with Demi Moore presenting the honor. The award recognizes the companyโs influence on fashion through design, branding, and cultural collaborations across Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta. CEO Richard Dickson and creative director Zac Posen will accept the award, which highlights Gap Inc.โs recent partnerships and campaigns spanning fashion, music, and entertainment.
ESPN Goes Inside the Rise of the Premier Lacrosse League in New Docuseries
ESPN is developing The Big Leagues, a five-part docuseries chronicling how brothers Mike and Paul Rabil built the Premier Lacrosse League and their push to grow the sport. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Matthew Heineman is among the executive producers, with Paul making his directing debut. Production is underway, with a premiere date and distribution plans still to be announced. The series will arrive ahead of lacrosseโs return to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
John Mayer Launches Sob Rock Records With UMG’s Mercury
John Mayer is launching Sob Rock Records, a new label in partnership with Universal Music Groupโs Mercury Records. Named after his 2021 album, the venture marks Mayerโs next chapter after leaving Columbia Records in 2022. The announcement arrives ahead of his new single, โTom and Jerry,โ dropping Friday. Mayer is also working on his next album and preparing for a run of Sphere shows in Las Vegas beginning in April 2027.
FIFA Sets U.S. as Host of First Women’s Club World Cup
The United States will host FIFAโs inaugural 19-team Womenโs Club World Cup from Jan. 5-30, 2028, bringing together top clubs from six continental confederations. Seven teams have qualified, including Arsenal, Barcelona, and NWSL club Gotham FC, with the remaining spots to be determined through continental competitions and club rankings. The tournament was delayed from its original 2026 target, and its January schedule has drawn criticism from Englandโs Womenโs Super League for potentially disrupting its domestic season.
Anthropic Takes Aim at OpenAI, Meta With Claude Duet AI Agent
Anthropic has launched Claude Duet, a work-focused AI agent designed to manage tasks proactively, from scheduling meetings to building financial forecasts and web apps. Powered by its Opus 5.5 model, Duet connects with more than 6,000 services, including Gmail and Slack, and can facilitate purchases through Stripe and Shopify. The app is available through a waitlisted research preview for U.S. Pro and Max subscribers, intensifying competition with OpenAI and Meta in autonomous AI services.
Image: Win McNamee / Getty Images
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