Hamnet Wins Golden Globes Best Drama; One Battle Top Comedy

The 2026 Golden Globe Awards, held this weekend, saw 'Hamnet' win the Best Drama category. 'One Battle' was awarded as the best comedy, marking a strong start to the awards season. The ceremony was a key event for Hollywood as it highlighted several major contenders for the year's top honors.

Box office results for the weekend showed strong performance across the industry. 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' remained the top-grossing film for the fourth consecutive week, earning $21.3 million in the U.S. and Canada. It has now grossed $342.6 million domestically and $888 million globally.

In the corporate bond market, U.S. companies issued $95 billion in investment-grade bonds during the first full week of January 2026, marking the busiest opening to a year since the pandemic. This surge in issuance reflects strong investor appetite for corporate debt and confidence in corporate balance sheets.

Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) remains at the center of a high-stakes bidding war between Paramount Skydance and Netflix. Paramount has reaffirmed its $30-per-share offer for WBD, calling it 'clearly superior' to the pending Netflix deal. Netflix, however, faces regulatory challenges and debt concerns as it seeks to acquire the media giant.

IMAX Corporation reported record box office results for 2025, with $1.28 billion in global ticket sales. The company expects this momentum to continue in 2026 and has set a target of $1.4 billion in receipts.

Why Did the Box Office Perform Strongly in January 2026?

The strong January box office was driven by the continued success of major releases like 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' and 'Zootopia 2'. These films demonstrated staying power, with 'Zootopia 2' grossing $1.65 billion globally. The movie industry saw a 23% increase in revenues compared to the same period in 2025.

Paramount's 'Primate' also contributed to the strong box office numbers, grossing $11.3 million in its second week. The horror film has found a strong audience, drawing attention as a new entry in the genre.

How Is the Corporate Bond Market Responding to the 2026 Outlook?

The surge in corporate bond issuance reflects strong investor confidence in the U.S. economy. Investment-grade borrowing costs remain low, with spreads near their tightest levels since the 2008 financial crisis. This trend is being driven by demand from insurers and pension funds seeking to lock in yields ahead of expected Federal Reserve rate cuts.

Banks and European issuers are leading the charge in bond issuance, capitalizing on favorable market conditions. Analysts predict that total investment-grade issuance could reach $2.25 trillion in 2026, surpassing the previous record set during the pandemic.

What Are Analysts Watching for in the Warner Bros Discovery Bidding War?

The ongoing battle for WBD has attracted significant attention from investors and analysts. Paramount has presented a compelling case for its $30-per-share offer, which it argues provides greater certainty and value for shareholders. The company has secured $54 billion in debt financing and a personal guarantee from Oracle's Larry Ellison to back its bid.

Netflix, on the other hand, faces regulatory hurdles as it seeks to acquire WBD. Critics have raised concerns about antitrust implications, given Netflix's dominant position in the streaming market. The company has also seen its stock price decline, with shares down 27.9% from their peak in late October 2025.

Investors remain divided on the merits of the competing offers. While some favor Paramount's more certain cash offer, others see value in Netflix's long-term content strategy. The outcome of this bidding war could have significant implications for the media and entertainment industry.