'One Battle After Another’, 'The Studio' Headline Actor Awards Nominations

The Actor Awards announced their film and TV nominees on Wednesday, with One Battle After Another leading the film nominations with a record-breaking seven nods, including recognition for Leonardo DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti, and supporting actors Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro. Meanwhile, The Studio topped the television categories with five nominations. Sinners and Marty Supreme earned expected ensemble and lead acting nods along with surprise supporting nominations, as several major stars, including Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), George Clooney (Jay Kelly), Adam Sandler (Jay Kelly), Dwayne Johnson (The Smashing Machine), and Emily Blunt (The Smashing Machine), were notably left out.

Not even 24 hours after sharing that his latest project is complete, Bruno Mars announced Wednesday his new album, The Romantic, is arriving Feb. 27, with new music dropping this Friday. It will be his fourth solo studio album and his first since 2016’s 24K Magic. Since then, he’s also released music as part of Silk Sonic with Anderson .Paak, earning multiple Grammys for their album An Evening With Silk Sonic.

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has officially rejected Paramount Skydance’s latest $30/share all-cash takeover bid, continuing to support its merger with Netflix. WBD’s board cited the offer as “inadequate” and riskier for shareholders, noting Paramount’s proposal is nonbinding and could change or be withdrawn at any time. The board also questioned Paramount Skydance’s ability to finance the deal, pointing out that a $94.65 billion acquisition would require nearly seven times its $14 billion market capitalization and more than $50 billion in new debt. This marks WBD’s eighth rebuff of Paramount’s overtures.

IMAX closed 2025 with a record-breaking $1.28 billion in global box office revenue, its best year ever, up 40% from last year and 13% above its previous high in 2019. The top-grossing films included Ne Zha 2 ($167M) and Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle ($95.9M), marking major successes for local-language releases, alongside Avatar: Fire and Ash ($112M), F1: The Movie ($97.6M), and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning ($75.8M). The 2026 IMAX slate highlights include Jon Favreau’s Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey (the first feature shot entirely in IMAX’s 70mm film), Greta Gerwig’s Narnia (IMAX-exclusive theatrical run), and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three.

Billionaire Mark Cuban has become a major donor to Indiana’s football program, making consecutive contributions after never previously giving to his alma mater’s athletics department. His latest donation, made ahead of the Jan. 2 transfer portal, was reportedly larger than last year’s, helping the Hoosiers strengthen their roster. The investment has already paid off: After a 2024 playoff appearance, Indiana went undefeated in 2025, secured the Big Ten championship, earned the No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoff, and will face No. 5 Oregon in the Peach Bowl for a chance at their first national title.

Fox is launching Fox Creator Studios, a digital division aimed at courting creators and producing next-generation content across platforms, starting with food-focused personalities. Early deals include Rosanna Pansino, Jolly, Sorted Food, Little Remy Food, and Food Theorists, with Gordon Ramsay also partnering to leverage his 115 million social media followers and support talent development through Studio Ramsay Global. The initiative seeks to combine Fox’s production and distribution power with creators’ fan engagement, offering them ways to diversify revenue, reduce algorithm reliance, and explore new business opportunities.

Adidas announced Wednesday the signing of Indiana WR Elijah Sarratt to an NIL deal ahead of the team’s showdown against Oregon in the College Football Playoff Semifinal on Friday. Sarratt joins fellow Hoosier and Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza on the Three Stripes roster, as well as Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith, Texas Tech QB Behren Morton, and others. The brand boasts both Indiana and Miami as partners in the semifinal games.

New Balance unveiled its 2026 Australian Open collection on Wednesday, marking the third year as the tournament’s official performance apparel and footwear provider. The capsule includes high-end tanks, polos, tees, hoodies, jackets, and accessories, as well as new additions like a coastal fleece cardigan and short, a bold rugby shirt, and graphic tees inspired by Australia’s tennis culture. The range will be available beginning Monday in New Balance flagship stores, select global locations, and on the New Balance and Australian Open websites.

Saratoga Spring Water is kicking off 2026 with a new campaign starring WNBA star Skylar Diggins. Shot in cinematic black-and-white with the brand’s signature blue accents, the campaign highlights living with style, strength, and determination. The spot will run across TV, digital, and print, and Diggins will also represent the brand at the Golden Globes this weekend. Created by Primo Brands’ in-house agency, The Lab, this campaign is just the start of a year full of culture-focused content and experiences from Saratoga.

Sports Illustrated’s SI The Party, presented by DraftKings, is back for Super Bowl weekend. Returning from 2024 are The Chainsmokers, who will be joined by Ludacris, Miami Heat DJ Irie, and rising DJ/producer Xandra, all performing on Saturday, Feb. 7 at San Francisco’s Cow Palace. The night will also feature special guests, surprise moments, branded activations, and a Lexus LX VIP Lounge for VIP ticket holders. Premium tickets, VIP access, and tables go on sale Thursday at 10 a.m. PT on the event website.

Image: Courtesy of Warner Bros.