This combination photo shows actress Viola Davis, during the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Sept. 9, 2018, left, and Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, D-N.Y., the first black woman elected to Congress, in 1971. (AP Photo)
LOS ANGELES (AP) --
Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis is gearing up to play groundbreaking politician Shirley Chisholm in a film for Amazon Studios.
The company said Thursday that Davis has signed on to star in and produce the project about Chisholm, who was the first black woman ever elected to the United States Congress and the first woman to seek the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.
She represented New York's 12th District in the House of Representatives from 1969 to 1983, and sought the presidential nomination in 1972. Chisholm died in 2005 at age 80.
Maggie Betts will direct Davis in "The Fighting Shirley Chisholm" off of a screenplay from "Silicon Valley" writer Adam Countee.
The Hollywood trade website Deadline first reported the news.
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The Warner Bros. water tower is seen at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, Calif., Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Two of the most popular streaming services have agreed to combine, in a move that could change the streaming service landscape.
Netflix said Friday it will acquire the studio and streaming business of Warner Bros. Discovery, the legacy Hollywood giant behind "Harry Potter" and "Friends," for $72 billion.
The transaction is expected to close in the next 12 to 18 months — after Warner completes its previously-announced separation of its cable operations. Not included in the deal are networks like CNN and Discovery.
Warner Bros. Discovery said in October it was open to selling all or parts of its business.
Here's a look at what the two streaming services offer and what might change if the deal completes regulatory hurdles and closes.
Netflix
Netflix, based in Los Gatos, California, is the world's biggest streaming service, although its growth has slowed from peak years. It stopped giving specific subscriber numbers in 2024, but quarterly results in October signaled its worldwide subscriber count has increased from the roughly 302 million it had at the end of 2024.
Although it is best known for its scripted TV shows and movies such as "Stranger Things," "Squid Game," "Bridgerton," and "KPop Demon Hunters," Netflix has been expanding into other arenas. It started offering a low-priced option of its service with advertising three years ago and has introduced video games and live sports, too.
In a statement on Friday Netflix said the acquisition will add shows and movies including "The Big Bang Theory," "The Sopranos," "Game of Thrones," "The Wizard of Oz" and the DC Universe comic book franchise to its library.
Warner Bros. Discovery
Warner Bros. Discovery, based in... Read More
