Paramount Global 'A'

Early critic reviews give Paramount's Street Fighter a disastrous 34% on Rotten Tomatoes, among the lowest for recent video-game adaptations. Critics fault the film for an abrupt ending and heavy focus on setting up a sequel rather than delivering a self-contained story. With a reported $80 million budget, the film's box-office prospects will depend on audience response and an expected $25–30 million opening weekend to match comparable franchise entries. » More on forbes.com

Skydance, led by co-CEOs David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz, finalized its acquisition of Warner Bros. and now combines Paramount and Warner Bros. studios, CBS, a large pay-TV portfolio and streaming services Paramount+ and HBO Max. Ellison said the merged company reaches scale with over 200 million global streaming subscribers and a strong content and sports slate, while Kreiz will focus on integration and day-to-day operations. Skydance faces about $80 billion in debt, aims for $6 billion in cost savings over three years and plans to merge streaming platforms, maintain independent newsrooms for CBS and CNN, and meet film-release commitments from a regulatory settlement. » More on cnbc.com

Skydance stock fell about 8% to $8.79 a day after the Paramount–Warner Bros. merger completed and the new company began trading under ticker SKYD. Analysts warned of volatile trading and raised concerns about integration and execution risks, while some questioned co-CEO Ynon Kreiz’s track record. Management signaled cost cuts of $6 billion over three years, potential layoffs, and committed to releasing 30 films per year under a settlement that could force divestiture if targets are missed. » More on forbes.com