Paramount Launches Hostile Takeover Attempt for Warner Bros.

The battle for ownership of Warner Bros. is just beginning. Shortly after Netflix agreed to purchase the famous movie studio and its streaming platform, Paramount made an unexpected offer to buy the entire company.

Netflix is reportedly interested in acquiring just a portion of Warner Bros. Discovery, while Paramount Global is aiming to buy the whole company, including its traditional TV networks such as CNN, TBS, and TNT.

I was reading the New York Times and learned that Paramount is offering a huge $108 billion – paid in cash, mind you – to buy Warner Bros. Discovery! Apparently, Warner Bros. Discovery’s board is considering a different deal that Paramount thinks isn’t as good and will likely face a lot of hurdles getting approved by regulators. Paramount is going straight to the shareholders to make its case.

Paramount Global CEO David Ellison said of the company’s bid for Warner Bros. Discovery…

Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders deserve the chance to review our straightforward, all-cash offer for the company. This offer, the same one we presented to the WBD Board, provides better value and a faster, more certain path to completion. We believe the Board is considering a less attractive deal that includes both cash and stock, relies on the unpredictable value of their cable business, and faces difficult regulatory hurdles. By taking our offer directly to shareholders, we’re empowering them to make the best decision for their investment and get the most value for their shares.

It wasn’t entirely surprising when Netflix and Warner Bros. announced their agreement. Shortly after, a letter from Paramount to Warner Bros. became public, accusing them of a short-sighted sale process that unfairly favored one company.

If Netflix can’t finalize its agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery, they’ll have to pay a $5.8 billion penalty. Conversely, if Warner Bros. Discovery accepts a different offer – for example, from Paramount – they’ll owe Netflix $2.8 billion. Either way, a lot of money is on the line.

The Best Movies of 2025

20. Caught Stealing

Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing was a surprisingly enjoyable film. Released late in August—often a dumping ground for bad movies—it’s a fun and gritty thriller that really captures the feel of old New York City. The story is reminiscent of After Hours, and it’s full of unexpected turns. What stood out most was how nostalgic it felt—whether it was seeing Shea Stadium, the old Kim’s Video, or simply the fact that a major studio made a smart, adult drama like this.

19. Eephus

The title Eephus perfectly captures the feel of this gentle, seemingly straightforward film. Just like the eephus pitch in baseball, it subtly surprises you, shifting direction when you think you’ve figured it out. (Other names for that pitch – like blooper ball or parachute – would also fit the movie well.)

Eephus centers on the last game played by two small-town amateur baseball teams before their field is demolished. Over nine innings, the co-writer and director, Carson Lund, examines the connections between teammates and opponents, using this unimportant game to reveal why baseball’s traditions and routines are so meaningful to people.

18. It Was Just an Accident

After two similar films, Bugonia and It Was Just an Accident, a pattern is emerging: movies focusing on deeply troubled men who kidnap someone they blame for a terrible wrong, while the captive maintains their innocence. It Was Just an Accident, directed by Jafar Panahi, tells the story of a former Iranian prisoner, Vahid Mobasseri, who encounters a man, Ebrahim Azizi, he believes tortured him during an unfair imprisonment. He never saw his tormentor’s face, but recognizes the voice and the sound of a prosthetic leg. Uncertain, he gathers other victims of torture to help identify the man and decide what to do. The film is both heartbreaking and surprisingly funny, and carries particular weight because Panahi himself has been imprisoned multiple times – he was recently sentenced to another year in prison by the Iranian government for making this very film.

17. Bugonia

Yorgos Lanthimos is known for his darkly funny and unsettling films, and his latest, Bugonia, continues that tradition. It’s a twisted update to a 2003 South Korean movie, reflecting our current obsession with conspiracy theories. The film centers on a reclusive and increasingly disturbed man, played brilliantly by Jesse Plemons, who kidnaps a powerful pharmaceutical CEO (Emma Stone – her fourth collaboration with Lanthimos, and another fearless performance). Plemons’ character believes Stone’s is part of an alien plot to destroy the world, and demands a confession. Her reaction is, understandably, one of bewilderment and anger. It’s a hilariously uncomfortable situation – genuinely funny, but also deeply unsettling. In fact, the film perfectly captures the anxious energy of modern life.

16. The Perfect Neighbor

This gripping Netflix documentary uses police bodycam footage to tell the shocking story of a deadly escalation between a Florida woman and her neighbors. The Perfect Neighbor details the disturbing events leading up to a killing, and its devastating consequences, prompting viewers to question whether the legal system always protects those who deserve it. Though it’s a true crime documentary, many are calling it the most frightening horror film of 2025.

15. Reflection in a Dead Diamond

With its lavish, retro style, ‘Reflection in a Dead Diamond’ is a visually stunning film that feels like a classic spy thriller. Directors Bruno Forzani and Hélène Cattet pack the movie with memorable imagery, creating a dreamlike experience as an aging secret agent (Fabio Testi) struggles with his mental state. The film is so enamored with the look and feel of older exploitation movies that it draws viewers into its own hypnotic world – one they won’t want to leave. It’s a fast-paced, dynamic film where almost every shot features some kind of camera movement or visual effect.

14. Mickey 17

Bong Joon-ho loves to take famous actors known for playing heroes and put them in unusual, over-the-top sci-fi stories, then challenge their heroic image. After portraying Captain America as a villain, he’s now done the same with Robert Pattinson, who plays the lead in Mickey 17. Like Batman, Pattinson’s character, Mickey, lives multiple lives. He works as a disposable operative, completing dangerous missions crucial for space colonization. Whenever Mickey dies during a mission, a new body is created for him. He’s on his 17th iteration when a mistake happens, resulting in an 18th version of Mickey also being active. While Mickey 17 might not be as consistently strong as Bong’s award-winning Parasite, that unevenness actually fits the story. A film with 18 similar characters, each with slight personality differences, should naturally have some shifts in mood and tone.

13. Friendship

The 2025 play Friendship was a remarkably engaging theatrical experience, eliciting audible reactions – sighs, gasps, and even shouts of disbelief – from the audience throughout the comedy. These reactions were earned, as the story centers on Tim Robinson’s increasingly awkward and painful downfall after a promising friendship with his effortlessly cool neighbor, Paul Rudd, falls apart during a terrible get-together. Robinson’s cluelessness is a constant source of humor, while Rudd perfectly plays the cool neighbor, and the script, written by director Andrew DeYoung, relentlessly explores male insecurities in a way that might literally make some viewers cringe with discomfort.

12. Black Bag

Honestly, I went into Black Bag expecting a classic Agatha Christie-style mystery, but with a lot more…heat. And surprisingly, that ended up being exactly what I loved about it! The film stars Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett as a married couple who both happen to be spies. Their picture-perfect life gets turned upside down when Fassbender is tasked with investigating his own wife, suspecting she might be a double agent. Beyond a fantastic supporting cast – seriously, Regé-Jean Page, Marisa Abela, Naomie Harris, and Pierce Brosnan all show up – what really grabbed me was how unpredictable everything was. You genuinely have no idea what’s going to happen next, and that’s a really rare and enjoyable feeling in a movie.

11. Superman

Many serious comic book fans would never compare a DC movie to Richard Donner’s Superman, but James Gunn’s Superman actually surpasses it in some ways. Nicholas Hoult delivers a fantastic performance as Lex Luthor, portraying him as both incredibly self-centered and easily offended. The supporting cast is also excellent, with Edi Gathegi as the aptly named Mr. Terrific and Krypto, Superman’s mischievous and scene-stealing superdog.

David Corenswet is wonderfully endearing as a vulnerable Superman, making him a hero you genuinely want to cheer for. The movie is fun, thrilling, and romantic, and even manages to include some thoughtful social commentary. It’s a high point for DC films and sets a promising new standard, especially since it’s intended to be the first installment in a whole series of superhero movies.

10. Train Dreams

Each year, there should be an award for the best Netflix film that doesn’t really fit Netflix – something too special to be casually watched on a streaming platform. I nominate Clint Bentley’s Train Dreams as the first winner. (I actually watched it on Netflix, though!)

It’s a beautifully made, slow-paced, and heartbreaking film about Robert Grainier (played with quiet power by Joel Edgerton), a solitary logger whose life unfolds over decades in the Pacific Northwest. The film subtly shows how the region itself changes as Grainier travels, works, and builds a family with a woman named Gladys (Felicity Jones). Train Dreams isn’t something you can passively watch while scrolling on your phone. It demands your full attention – dim the lights, put your phone away, and let yourself be completely immersed in another time and place.

9. Predator: Badlands

The latest Predator film feels like the franchise’s answer to Terminator 2 – though it might not reach quite the same heights, it shares similar themes and structure. This time, instead of a terrifying, unstoppable villain, the Predator is… surprisingly, a sympathetic character. A young, exiled Predator is sent to a dangerous planet and must prove himself by defeating a seemingly unbeatable monster – one that even shares some traits with the T-1000.

Along the way, he teams up with several comedic allies, including Elle Fanning as an unusually optimistic android. Despite this, the film still delivers the intense action and thrills fans expect from a story about an alien hunter who kills for sport. This is director Dan Trachtenberg’s strongest Predator film yet, boasting dynamic visuals, exciting action sequences, impressive gadgets, and a smart story that explores themes of family and honor.

8. Weapons

If Zach Cregger asks you to come down to his basement, seriously, just leave! He clearly has a thing for dark, unsettling spaces, and his new movie, Weapons, is no exception. Beneath the quiet streets of a Pennsylvania town lies a truly creepy basement that’s central to a baffling mystery: seventeen children have vanished from a single elementary school class. The film follows several characters – the teacher (Julia Garner), a father of one of the missing kids (Josh Brolin), a troubled police officer (Alden Ehrenreich), and others – as they try to uncover what happened. Weapons jumps between different perspectives, creating a tone that’s both deeply disturbing and surprisingly funny. Think of it as a darkly comedic thriller in the style of Pulp Fiction, but with a horror twist.

7. Avatar: Fire and Ash

I think Avatar: Fire and Ash is the best of the three Avatar movies so far. The visuals continue to get better with each film, thanks to improvements in 3D and high-frame rate technology. But more than that, Fire and Ash really delivers on the emotional journeys of characters we’ve followed for almost twenty years – you can see the weight of time on their faces. Or maybe, as a father, I’m just easily moved by stories about dads doing everything they can to protect their kids in a difficult world. Either way, I’m excited for Avatar 4 and ready to see what happens next.

6. The Naked Gun

This movie was exactly what I needed! The 2025 release of The Naked Gun delivers 85 minutes of consistent laughter. It’s packed with visual jokes, silly puns, outrageous humor, and clever references to pop culture – a fantastic revival of the original franchise. Liam Neeson stars as Frank Drebin Jr., the son of Leslie Nielsen’s iconic character, and he’s just as hilariously clumsy. He plays a tough detective investigating a villainous businessman (Danny Huston) while constantly sharing his amusing thoughts, including a particularly outrageous observation about his love interest, played by Pamela Anderson. This new Naked Gun proves that spoof comedies – and comedies made for the big screen – still have a lot to offer.

5. Predators

The current demand for easily digestible, recognizable content has led to a surge of documentaries that follow a similar formula: revisit a pop culture phenomenon, analyze its popularity, and explore what it revealed about society. In recent months, we’ve seen these types of docs about figures like Pee-wee Herman, Jerry Springer, and even the rise and fall of MoviePass. While these films aren’t necessarily bad, the documentary Predators stands out because of director David Osit’s personal connection to its subject matter and his unusually thoughtful approach.

Predators examines the Dateline NBC segment “To Catch a Predator,” which, despite its sensational nature, seemed to serve a public good by preventing child exploitation. However, Osit explores how turning this important work into entertainment changed the way reporter Chris Hansen and his team operated, and how the show’s impact was never fully understood.

Instead of a broad overview, Osit focuses on specific cases, interviewing the individuals who acted as decoys, an expert who studied the show’s methods, and even YouTubers who have imitated Hansen’s approach online. Osit remains largely unseen, posing questions from off-camera with a quiet, somber tone that contrasts sharply with Hansen’s confrontational style. He clearly takes the subject matter seriously and admits to having watched the original segments frequently. In a world where empathy seems increasingly rare, films like Predators—films that encourage us to consider difficult topics with nuance—are more important than ever.

4. Marty Supreme

If you loved the fast pace of the Safdie brothers’ Uncut Gems, then Marty Supreme is your next must-see movie. It tells the story of Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet), a supremely confident and talented ping pong player who’s always looking for an angle. Chalamet continues to impress in a role that sees Marty constantly getting into trouble due to his own arrogance, creating a relentlessly energetic film that feels like a never-ending chase. It’s a darkly funny and brilliantly acted movie, featuring a surprisingly diverse cast including Gwyneth Paltrow and Kevin O’Leary (Mr. Wonderful from Shark Tank), and it’s packed with intense suspense. Marty Supreme is so captivating, you’ll find yourself hoping it becomes a huge box office hit.

3. No Other Choice

Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice is immediately enjoyable – it’s both hilarious and gripping. It feels like a film Alfred Hitchcock would have loved, perhaps even more than Star Trek: Section 31. But the movie offers much more than just surface-level entertainment. It’s filled with clever visual jokes and repeating themes, particularly images of plants and trees, all connected to the story of a dedicated paper mill worker (Lee Byung-hun) who loses his job and struggles to find new work. While the story comes from a Donald Westlake novel, focusing the protagonist’s job in the paper industry feels particularly relevant today. In an era where technology threatens so many jobs, a paper mill worker perfectly represents the fight to survive as older, traditional industries disappear.

2. Sinners

Is Sinners the best vampire movie coming out in 2025? Or is it a deeply thoughtful film about America, music, cultural appropriation, and the stories we create around artistic genius? The answer is both. Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is thrilling, sensual, and surprisingly funny. It’s an ambitious film, and it almost completely succeeds.

1. One Battle After Another

With its hefty $150 million budget, One Battle After Another stands out in today’s Hollywood, where films are often based on existing properties. It’s a daring, visually stunning epic with a clear vision from director Paul Thomas Anderson and thought-provoking political themes. The film defies easy categorization, blending elements of a suspenseful thriller, a quirky adventure, and a socially conscious drama—the kind of movies studios used to prioritize. At its heart, it’s a deeply touching story about a father trying to shield his teenage daughter from his own regrets and a chaotic world. It’s funny, gorgeous, odd, unsettling, and thrilling—essentially, a new masterpiece from PTA.

2025-12-08 18:30