Paramount still planning official bid on Warner Bros. Discovery
The Ellison family is taking care to avoid the stop-and-start nature of Skydance’s acquisition of Paramount itself.
It’s been a while since any official news about the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount Skydance has leaked out. Paramount's intention to buy WBD was first reported in September, but there haven’t really been any updates of consequence since. Paramount hasn’t even put an official bid in for WBD, but a new report suggests the company hasn’t given up on its acquisitive ambitions in any way.
Key Details:
Slow and steady: The Ellisons are attempting to ensure no issues arise with their purchase of Paramount.
Zaslav out?: There may not be a clearly defined role for David Zaslav in the new Warner Bros. Discovery.
Key assets: WBD just re-signed two executives who are seen as rising stars.
Sign Up
$9.99+ / month max via prime video
According to exclusive reporting from Deadline , Paramount Skydance is still positioned to pursue Warner Bros. Discovery. The newly merged company has not made a formal offer for WBD yet, but is reportedly biding its time before officially jumping in with both feet.
Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison has no wish to replicate the complex, occasionally messy process that accompanied Skydance’s purchase of Paramount over the past year. That process saw the emergence of eleventh-hour bidders, slowdowns from the federal government, and plenty of other complications.
If the deal does come to fruition, there may not be any role for current WBD CEO David Zaslav in the new regime, as Deadline reports that Paramount doesn’t see a significant place for him there. Reports indicate that Zaslav may be looking for an in-name-only job of some type, a cursory advisor title that comes with a salary to match. That type of low-stress position is one of the reasons that Zaslav is hoping a bidding war for the company emerges.
Rich Greenfield of Lightshed Partners doesn’t think Netflix , which has been linked to a WBD acquisition, will be truly interested in making a bid — at least not for the whole company. He points out that Netflix has no interest in any company’s cable channels, and entangled distribution relationships for HBO Max are a mess that Netflix probably doesn’t want to untangle.
If Paramount Skydance does jump in with an official bid, odds seem good that its takeover attempt will be successful. Deadline reports that two crown-jewel executives will be packaged into the deal. WBD just agreed to new contracts with Warner Bros. Motion Picture chairs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, two highly respected executives in Hollywood.
So, while there may not be much happening publicly with the WBD acquisition by Paramount, things are still moving behind the scenes. Most analysts still expect Paramount to make a move for WBD, though the size of the bid — and of David Zaslav’s golden parachute — is still unclear.
Sign Up
max via prime video
HBO Max
HBO Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library and exclusive Max Originals. There are hubs for content from TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TCM, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ID, and more. Watch hit series like “The Last of Us,” “House of the Dragon,” “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and more. Within Max, B/R Sports allows users to watch NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.
…
HBO Max has three tiers: an ad-supported plan for $9.99, an ad-free plan for $16.99, and the ultimate tier that includes 4K for $20.99.
All HBO Max subscribers will get the full libraries of shows like “Friends” , “The Big Bang Theory” , “South Park” , “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” , “The West Wing” , and more.
You can choose to add HBO Max as a subscription through Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, or other Live TV providers.
Sign Up
$9.99+ / month
max via prime video