Paramount Skydance has beaten Netflix in the race to acquire Warner Bros.
Discovery by putting forward a a 111‑billion‑dollar offer – an eye‑watering amount the streaming giant chose not to match.
This leaves the field open to Ceo David Ellison, who is now positioned to consolidate his influence in Hollywood by bringing together Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures, the HBO, Max, Discovery+ and Paramount+ platforms, and the linear TV networks CNN, CBS, HBO and TNT.
The deal carries far‑reaching consequences for the entertainment industry as well as significant political implications.
Several regulatory hurdles remain, including in Europe, and the close relationship between Donald Trump and Larry Ellison – Oracle’s founder, David’s father, and the guarantor of the transaction with 40 billion dollars in personal funds – could play a role in the process.
Last but not least, after 41 years, MTV Italia has effectively reunited with Warner, recreating a media giant reminiscent of the 1980s – the WASEC deal age.
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