Skydance Name Set for Paramount-Warner Bros. Combined Company

David Ellison has revealed Skydance as the corporate name for the combined Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, with Paramount and Warner Bros. remaining as distinct sub-brands. The new entertainment giant will also house major properties including CBS, HBO Max, Paramount+, DC, Nickelodeon, and CNN. The company plans to change its stock ticker to SKYD and move from Nasdaq to the New York Stock Exchange when the merger is completed.

Project Healthy Minds’ World Mental Health Day Festival returns to New York on Oct. 10 with Becky G joining a lineup that includes Karl-Anthony Towns, Terry Crews, Jonathan Haidt, Remi Bader, Brandon Marshall, Ferg, Dan Clancy, and Rich Kleiman. The free, all-day event at Spring Studios will feature conversations, workshops, and fitness programming focused on mental health, including a new sports and social change track honoring Stephen M. Ross.

Rogers Communications has completed its $3.1 billion acquisition of the remaining 25% stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), giving the Canadian telecom giant full ownership of the company behind the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, and Toronto FC. Rogers will combine MLSE with the Toronto Blue Jays under a new Rogers Sports division. Keith Pelley will remain MLSE President and CEO and will also return as President of Rogers Media.

Peacock has officially ordered a Fast & Furious TV series, expanding the franchise beyond its 11-film run. Mike Daniels and Wolfe Coleman will write and serve as showrunners, with Vin Diesel executive producing alongside franchise veterans Neal H. Moritz and Chris Morgan. The series is targeting a 2028 premiere, potentially coinciding with Fast Forever, the next film in the franchise, which is scheduled to hit theaters March 17, 2028.

Eddie Murphy is set to star in The Chairman, a new drama series in development at Peacock from Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner. The project marks Murphy’s first live-action regular scripted TV role since Saturday Night Live, where he starred from 1980 to 1984. Plot details remain under wraps, with the series produced by 101 Studios and Universal Television. The show is also the first project between NBCUniversal and 101 Studios under their new partnership.

MLB’s first season with automated ball-strike challenges saw robot umpires overturn 54% of disputed calls, with catchers leading the way at a 59% success rate compared with 49% for batters. Teams made 10,557 challenges, averaging 4.35 per game. The Cincinnati Reds had the biggest impact, generating a league-best 16.8-run net gain from overturned calls and a 62% challenge success rate. The system became increasingly active as the season progressed.

Nike is restructuring its business and expects layoffs to begin in 2027 after a disappointing fiscal first quarter. Revenue fell 4% to $11.21 billion, missing Wall Street expectations, while Nike’s China business dropped 26%, with sportswear declining by double digits. CEO Elliott Hill said the company is moving to strengthen those businesses, though he acknowledged it will take time for those efforts to pay off. Nike expects fiscal 2027 revenue to decline by a high-single-digit percentage.

Amazon will invest more than $1 billion over the next five years in communities where it operates data centers, funding education, job training, water and energy preservation, and other local projects. The pledge comes as opposition to massive data center developments grows, with more than 100 moratoriums being considered nationwide. Amazon also says it has stopped using nondisclosure agreements with government agencies and will host more community open houses as it expands infrastructure.

Jalen Duren is staying in Detroit, reportedly agreeing to a five-year, $200 million fully guaranteed contract with the Pistons after a four-month standoff. The 22-year-old center skipped media day and the start of training camp while negotiations continued, but ultimately accepted Detroit’s standing offer ahead of Thursday’s deadline. Duren is coming off an All-NBA season in which he averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds, but his playoff struggles contributed to the friction that stalled negotiations.

Verity opened to $4.5 million in previews Thursday, putting the Colleen Hoover adaptation on track for a $30 million-plus domestic debut. The Amazon MGM thriller, starring Dakota Johnson, Anne Hathaway, and Josh Hartnett, outpaced Hoover’s Reminders of Him in previews but fell short of It Ends With Us. Meanwhile, Tom Cruise’s Digger pulled in $1.2 million from previews, with the $125 million-plus disaster satire hoping to eclipse the $10 million mark.

Sia has sold a 50% stake in her music publishing and master rights to Pophouse Entertainment in a $180 million deal. The Swedish music investment firm, co-founded by ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus, will help develop new creative projects while managing and expanding Sia’s catalog, which includes hits such as “Chandelier,” “Cheap Thrills,” and “Unstoppable.” The partnership gives Pophouse a stake in one of pop’s most recognizable catalogs while keeping Sia involved in its future.

Anthropic is reportedly targeting a mid-November IPO that could see the Claude maker begin trading before Thanksgiving. The company could start marketing the offering as early as the week of Nov. 9, though the timeline remains fluid. Prospective investors are weighing a valuation of $1.8 trillion to $2 trillion, while Anthropic is expected to meet with investors on Oct. 14. The company is targeting an IPO at least as large as SpaceX’s.

Arsenal and Topps have signed a new multi-year global licensing deal, naming Topps the club’s exclusive official trading cards and stickers licensee. The partnership will produce new physical trading cards and stickers each season featuring current men’s and women’s players, along with select club legends. The first release, the Topps 26/27 Arsenal Collectors Tin, will be available soon through The Armoury and Arsenal Direct.

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