Topic: Warner Brothers

The discussion centers on the potential merger between Warner Brothers and Paramount, highlighting the involvement of the Ellison family. Analysis focuses on the value of legacy studio catalogs for streaming services and the political pushback against Larry Ellison. The conversation explores the possibility of studios moving operations from California to states like Tennessee or Texas to avoid high taxes.

Dana Brunetti details how he secured the rights to produce the Fifty Shades of Grey film franchise. While filming Captain Phillips in London, he and producer Michael De Luca met with the author's manager. Despite being told producers were already chosen, they eventually landed the project, which became a massive commercial success.

Netflix is moving to acquire legacy assets from Warner Brothers, a deal valued as one of the largest in entertainment history. While the Trump administration is expected to allow the merger without significant antitrust pushback, some political commentators express concern over potential influence from the Obama family due to their existing Netflix production deals. Historical context is provided regarding previous owners of movie studios, including Coca-Cola, Gulf+Western, and Seagram's.

Video game actors and motion capture performers have been on strike since July over the unregulated use of artificial intelligence. Performers express concern that their voices and likenesses will be digitally reproduced without consent or compensation. The hosts discuss the massive scale of the gaming industry compared to traditional film and television.

The hosts reminisce about Mel Blanc, who voiced nearly every major Warner Brothers cartoon character. They debate whether Blanc voiced Elmer Fudd and discuss the transition of the character Tigger from Paul Winchell to a new voice actor. The segment explores the history of vocal mimicry in the entertainment industry before the advent of AI.

Warner Brothers' decision to release its entire 2021 movie slate on streaming services simultaneously with theaters is seen as a potential death knell for Hollywood. The move has forced the studio to pay top actors millions in extra compensation to make up for the loss of back-end residuals and the increased risk of piracy.

The death of Glee star Cory Monteith in a Vancouver hotel is linked by the hosts to the promotion of the movie "Pacific Rim." They note that Monteith's body was found on the 21st floor of a hotel and that many news reports repeatedly mentioned the film's title, suggesting a "Hollywood Whacker" marketing tactic.

The production company Endemol, known for the "Big Brother" franchise, faces financial restructuring after a $2.3 billion leveraged buyout involving Berlusconi's Mediaset and Goldman Sachs. The company's debt issues coincided with a sharp decline in Mediaset stock. Time Warner has reportedly offered $1 billion for the struggling entity as the media landscape shifts following Berlusconi's political exit.

The United Nations and World Health Organization are warning of a mutant H5N1 bird flu strain spreading in Asia. This news cycle coincides with the September 9, 2011, theatrical release of the film Contagion, starring Matt Damon and Kate Winslet. The timing suggests a coordinated PR effort between movie studios and health organizations to generate public anxiety.

The Las Vegas prosecutor who handled Paris Hilton's cocaine case was himself arrested for buying rock cocaine. In Hollywood, long-time Warner Brothers executive Alan Horn is being pushed out despite a string of hits including "Harry Potter" and "The Dark Knight." The New York Times uses mafia terminology to describe the transition, suggesting Horn is being "whacked" by the studio.