Storyline Follow by RSS

Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery $110bn merger closes

Leadership reorganization as Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery finalize $111 billion merger, with Skydance branding and executive departures/appointments.

1. Wednesday 14 October 2026

   Skydance shares fall 22% after 471 million warrants issued to public shareholders

   Skydance stock fell as much as 25% on Wednesday and closed down 22% at just over $7 after the company distributed about 471 million warrants to public shareholders. Deadline adds that a hotter-than-expected inflation reading also hit debt-heavy companies.

   2 outlets

2. Wednesday 14 October 2026

   Ben Frow to step down as 5's chief content officer after 14 years

   Ben Frow, chief content officer who has overseen UK broadcaster 5 (formerly Channel 5) since 2012, will step down next year, days after Paramount completed its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.

   2 outlets

3. Tuesday 13 October 2026

   Discovery+ raises US prices a week after Paramount closes Warner Bros. Discovery deal

   Discovery+ raised US prices on 13 October 2026, one week after Paramount closed its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery to form Skydance Corp. The ad-supported plan rises to $6.99 a month and the ad-free plan to $11.99.

   7 outlets

4. Friday 9 October 2026

   Channel 5 pre-tax profit falls 64% to £11.93m in 2025 as ad market weakens

   Skydance-owned Channel 5 (now branded 5) reported a 64% fall in 2025 pre-tax profit to £11.93m and an operating loss of £10.9m, blaming a weak advertising market and heavier streaming spending.

   2 outlets

5. Thursday 8 October 2026

   Zaslav receives about $606 million for WBD shares and options as Paramount deal closes

   An SEC filing shows David Zaslav received about $606 million for shares and options when Paramount closed its takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery on Oct. 6. Outlets differ on the exact breakdown and the deal's value.

   4 outlets

6. Monday 5 October 2026

   Warner Bros. Discovery's Gerhard Zeiler likely to leave as he seeks Austrian party leadership

   Gerhard Zeiler, president of international at Warner Bros. Discovery, has said he wants to lead Austria's Social Democratic Party, making his exit likely ahead of the Paramount merger. Deadline reports this leaves Paramount's Kevin MacLellan best placed for the top international role at the combined company.

   3 outlets

7. Monday 5 October 2026

   Ellison names Skydance leadership for combined Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery ahead of close

   David Ellison announced the senior executives who will run the merged Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery, to be called Skydance, a day before the deal is due to close on Tuesday 6 October.

   4 outlets

8. Monday 5 October 2026

   Dungey to oversee Paramount and WBD cable networks in combined Skydance-led company

   Deadline reported on 5 October that Channing Dungey would take over Paramount's cable networks in the merged Paramount-WBD. Variety reported on 7 October that Dungey's staff memo confirmed the role.

   2 outlets

9. Friday 2 October 2026

   David Ellison names combined Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery "Skydance"

   David Ellison announced on X that Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery will be known as Skydance once their merger closes, with the two studios kept as brands. The deal is expected to close on Oct. 6.

   23 outlets

10. Friday 2 October 2026

    Warner Bros. film chiefs De Luca and Abdy to exit as Paramount merger nears close

    Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, who run Warner Bros.' film studio, will leave once Paramount Skydance's merger with Warner Bros. Discovery closes, expected Oct. 6, according to Variety and The Hollywood Reporter citing sources. Puck reported it first.

    4 outlets

11. Thursday 1 October 2026

    Ynon Kreiz to receive over $46.5M first-year pay as Paramount co-CEO, per SEC filing

    Paramount disclosed in an SEC filing that Ynon Kreiz, former Mattel CEO, will get a five-year contract as co-CEO alongside David Ellison, with first-year pay of more than $46.5 million according to Variety. Deadline puts the figure at at least $35.1 million a year by 2027.

    3 outlets

12. Thursday 1 October 2026

    Paramount closes Warner deal; CNN chief Mark Thompson to stay as editor-in-chief

    After early talks reported on 1 October, Skydance confirmed on 5 October that Mark Thompson will stay on at CNN as editor-in-chief; the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery deal closed on 6 October. How CNN will operate under the new owner is not yet settled.

    7 outlets

13. Wednesday 30 September 2026

    Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz exits; reported as co-CEO of merged Paramount-Warner Bros.

    Mattel announced Ynon Kreiz would leave as chairman and CEO on Oct. 2. Trade outlets first reported a senior Paramount role; later coverage calls it co-CEO of the merged company, after a judge approved the antitrust settlement ahead of a planned Oct. 7 close.

    5 outlets

14. Tuesday 29 September 2026

    Cindy Holland exits Paramount; Casey Bloys expected to run combined streaming

    Paramount's streaming chief Cindy Holland left on 29 September, days before the Warner Bros. Discovery merger closes. HBO's Casey Bloys is widely reported to be taking over streaming, though most outlets say it is not yet official.

    7 outlets

15. Monday 28 September 2026

    Paramount completes Warner Bros. Discovery takeover, forming Skydance

    Paramount Skydance closed its takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery on 6 October, creating a combined company called Skydance under chairman and CEO David Ellison and co-CEO Ynon Kreiz. The value is given as $110–111bn including debt (about $81bn in equity), and leaders have acknowledged layoffs ahead.

    37 outlets