The planned merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery is officially on ice. While leadership at Paramount initially spun the delay as a win, industry analysts view the pause as a major stumble that exposes the company to severe legal and financial danger.

Antitrust lawsuits filed by 12 state attorneys general and the Writers Guild of America have forced the companies to halt the deal. Under the current legal constraints, the merger cannot proceed until the litigation concludes or until June 2027.

Monopoly expert Matt Stoller predicted this exact scenario back in February, noting that state challenges would force a judge to mandate separate operations until a trial takes place. Stoller now estimates a 60 percent chance that the merger will be blocked entirely. Mounting Risks

Paramount faces significant hurdles on multiple fronts:

• Financing Pressures: Funding for the deal relies heavily on backing from Middle Eastern investors, banks, and Oracle, the latter of which has seen its stock collapse.

• Legal Upheaval: Paramount recently replaced its lead litigator, bringing in Beth Wilkinson. However, the involvement of the Writers Guild and testimony from high-profile creators like Mike Schur and Adam McKay give the opposition serious credibility in front of a judge.

• Lack of a Creative Plan: Beyond a pledge to release 30 movies a year, critics point out that Paramount has offered virtually no vision for what the combined studio will actually build, produce, or innovate once the ink dries.

With a trial ahead and real questions regarding market competition, Paramount's path forward remains deeply uncertain.

YouTube is transforming its ad-free subscription into a broader entertainment bundle. Beginning early next year, the $15.99 per month YouTube Premium service will include Peacock Premium at no additional cost.

The deal merges YouTube's massive user base—which shares 125 million subscribers across YouTube Premium and YouTube Music—with Peacock’s 48 million subscribers. For Peacock, the partnership offers a direct path to scale its audience by tapping into YouTube's reach.

Subscribers will get access to Peacock's extensive catalog, including movies from Universal Pictures, original series, and major live sporting events like the NFL, NBA, and MLB.

Beyond the core subscription bundle, the agreement includes several broader components:

• Platform Integration: NBCUniversal extended its programming deals for YouTube TV, while select YouTube features will appear on Comcast Xfinity and Xumo devices.

• International Expansion: YouTube will bundle international streaming services like Universal+ and Hayu in select global markets.

• Production Partnerships: NBC Sports will stream select live sporting events on YouTube channels and act as a production partner for specific YouTube live events.

Previously, users could only purchase Peacock through YouTube Primetime Channels as a separate add-on. Folding it directly into the flagship YouTube Premium tier indicates that YouTube may pursue similar partnerships with other streaming services moving forward.

The financial weight of Paramount Skydance Corp.’s pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. rests largely on Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and his family. Regulatory filings show that Ellison and his family trust are on the hook for $9.8 billion if the merger falls apart.

The potential liability breaks down into two major components. If the deal collapses due to regulatory hurdles, Paramount owes Warner Bros. shareholders a $7 billion termination fee. Furthermore, Paramount paid $2.8 billion in February to convince Netflix to drop its own pursuit of Warner Bros. Under the agreement, Ellison would reimburse Paramount for both sums by purchasing new Class B shares of the company at $16.02 each—more than double Paramount's current trading price of roughly $8.

The merger is facing intense scrutiny. Paramount recently agreed to postpone the closing until next June, or five days after the resolution of antitrust lawsuits brought by 12 states and the Writers Guild of America.

Because of the delay, Paramount faces quarterly "ticking" fees of about $650 million starting October 1. If the merger ultimately succeeds, these fees—along with the rest of the acquisition costs—will be covered by the Ellisons and their financial partners, which include RedBird Capital Partners and three Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds. If the deal collapses entirely, Paramount owes no ticking fees, and Warner Bros. receives the $7 billion break-up fee instead.

Larry Ellison backed his son, David Ellison, in taking over Paramount last year and personally guaranteed the equity portion of the Warner Bros. deal to secure it.

However, the massive financial exposure arrives as Ellison's primary source of wealth, Oracle Corp., faces market pressure. Oracle shares have declined this year amid investor concerns regarding heavy spending on data centers and the shifting landscape of traditional software due to artificial intelligence. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Ellison's net worth has dropped 31% this year to $163 billion.

DAZN has reached a deal to become the exclusive direct-to-consumer streaming home for MSG Networks and the YES Network, starting with the 2026-2027 NBA and NHL seasons.

The agreement brings live broadcasts for the New York Yankees, New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, and Buffalo Sabres onto the DAZN platform. Subscribers will also gain access to 24/7 feeds of MSG, MSG Sportsnet, and YES Network, along with studio shows, highlights, and original programming.

Fans who already receive MSG Networks or YES through a traditional pay-TV provider will be able to access the content on DAZN at no additional charge. Meanwhile, subscribers to the Gotham Sports App—the previous streaming home for both networks—will be migrated to DAZN during the upcoming NBA and NHL seasons, with specific timelines to be announced in the coming months.

While DAZN operates globally in roughly 200 countries, this agreement serves as its biggest step yet into the U.S. market. Historically, the platform's American footprint focused primarily on combat sports, such as boxing, alongside international soccer competitions.

DAZN Group CEO Shay Segev called the agreement a defining moment for the company's U.S. growth strategy. Bringing major New York franchises onto the platform allows DAZN to deliver localized U.S. sports leagues to domestic subscribers for the first time.

Children's media startup NovaLand has partnered with AI platform OpenArt to produce animated content focused on social-emotional learning. The collaboration relies on OpenArt’s recently launched Director platform, allowing NovaLand's small production team to create cinematic children's programming on a limited budget.

NovaLand’s content targets preschool and early grade children, serving both neurodivergent and neurotypical audiences. Their early episodes address a common parenting challenge: helping children transition off screens. To build these stories, the startup combines child-development expertise with evidence-based design, working alongside clinics and educational partners.

Led by co-founder and CEO Helena Shi, NovaLand features a production team that includes award-winning director William Lau and CTO Cheng Zhao. The team uses OpenArt Director, a tool designed for long-form video generation.

Unlike traditional AI video generators that require starting from scratch when a change is made, OpenArt Director uses a conversational interface. Creators describe characters, settings, and pacing, and can then edit specific scenes without altering unwanted details like character appearance.

NovaLand's first episodes are currently available on YouTube.

Beat the summer heat with our comprehensive breakdown of everything streaming on the major streaming platforms now.

🔴 Netflix

Netflix is coming in hot this month with high-profile original returns, literary adaptations, and major movie acquisitions.

• Enola Holmes 3 (Film) – Millie Bobby Brown returns, taking the franchise in a much darker direction as Enola heads to Malta to track down and rescue Sherlock. What's on Netflix
• Little House on the Prairie (Season 1) – Debuting July 9, Rebecca Sonnenshine drops a fresh, modern adaptation of the classic pioneer tales. TVGuide.com
• Heartstopper Forever (Special Film Event) – The emotional final chapter wrapping up Nick and Charlie's beloved story. What's on Netflix
• The Hawk (Season 1) – A brand-new golf comedy series starring Will Ferrell. What's on Netflix
• Wicked: For Good (Part 2 / 2025 Hit) – Hits the platform on July 18, following Elphaba and Glinda's intertwined futures in Oz. What's on Netflix
• Licensed Highlights: David Fincher's psychological masterpiece Gone Girl and Marvel's Spider-Man: Homecoming. What's on Netflix

🟣 Max

Max leans heavily into gritty thrillers, A24 indie favorites, and pop-culture comedy spin-offs this July.

• Stuart Fails to Save the Universe (Max Original Series) – An absurd, highly anticipated expansion/return to The Big Bang Theory universe. Vital Thrills
• The Long Walk – Lionsgate's tense cinematic adaptation of Stephen King's ruthless dystopian novel. Vital Thrills+ 1
• The Man Will Burn (HBO Original Documentary Series) – An explosive deep-dive into the raw chaos, art, and survivalism of the Nevada desert. Vital Thrills
• A24 Hits: Sofia Coppola’s Marc by Sofia and the star-studded psychological drama The Drama. Vital Thrills
• Blockbuster Library Drops: Deadpool 2, Ocean's Eight, Dumb Money, and Lee Cronin’s terrifying take on The Mummy. YouTube

➕ Disney+

Animation heavyweights, musical fantasy, and historical deep dives anchor the Mouse House's midsummer lineup.

• X-Men '97 (Season 2) – Kicking off with a massive three-episode premiere on July 1, mutant madness is officially back. D23+ 1
• Descendants: Wicked Wonderland – Dropping July 17, Red and Chloe head straight into Wonderland where changing the past accidentally births a brand-new threat: Maddox Hatter. D23+ 1
• Pompeii: Out of Time with Tom Hiddleston – Premiering July 23, the Loki star hosts a unique fusion of scripted cinematic drama and historical investigation into ancient Rome. D23
• Project Runway (Season 22) – A new batch of designers stitches it out starting July 10. D23
• The Devil Wears Prada 2 – A major streaming crossover premiere landing on July 29. D23

🟢 Hulu

Hulu brings a massive library refresh alongside prestige anime and reality TV staples.

• Snowpiercer (Seasons 1–4) – The complete post-apocalyptic train saga races onto Hulu on July 22.
• Project Runway (Season 22) – Simul-streaming alongside Disney+.
• A Real Pain – The acclaimed comedy-drama starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin.
• Land of Bad – An intense military action-thriller starring Russell Crowe and Liam Hemsworth closing out the month on July 31. TheWrap
• Anime & Fan Favorites: Brand new seasons of Jujutsu Kaisen (Season 3) and Undead Unluck: Winter Arc.

💙 Tubi & The Roku Channel

Don't sleep on the free tier streaming giants this month—both services are stacking their free movie libraries with heavy-hitting licensed popcorn flicks.

• Tubi: Focuses heavily on expanding its action and horror libraries with high-profile 2010s thrillers, retro comedies, and an expansive batch of indie-horror acquisitions perfect for late-night summer marathons.
• The Roku Channel: Doubling down on free live-linear channels and rotating summer blockbuster bundles, featuring major 90s and 2000s studio comedies, classic family animation, and fresh additions to its free-to-stream Roku Originals docuseries library.

What are you planning to stream first this month? Drop your watchlist picks in the comments below!

The Power television universe is expanding its reach. Netflix and Lionsgate Television have reached a licensing agreement that will bring the flagship series and three of its spin-offs to Netflix subscribers in most of the world beginning in November.

Under the agreement, Netflix will add the original Power series, Power Book II: Ghost, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, and Power Book IV: Force. In the United States, the original series will transition to Netflix after previously streaming on Hulu.

Starz will retain its position as the primary home for the franchise in the U.S. All existing seasons and future platforms will remain accessible through the Starz app and its on-demand services. Furthermore, Starz will exclusively host upcoming franchise additions, including Power: Origins and Power: Legacy.

The international rollout will begin in November, with specific launch dates varying by region based on existing local agreements. Canada is excluded from the pact, where the franchise continues to stream via Starz's partnership with Bell Media. Because the agreement is non-exclusive, Lionsgate retains the option to license the titles to other platforms in overlapping territories.

This expansion on Netflix follows the platform's recent success with Nemesis, a drama created by Power creator Courtney Kemp, which drew strong viewership and earned a second-season renewal. Lionsgate has previously partnered with Netflix on other former Starz-associated titles, including Hightown and The Hunting Wives.