Thu, 11 Sep 2025

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 Warner Bros Discovery shares surge on buyout reports

The reported bid would be for a business which includes news network CNN, HBO, and the film studio behind Barbie and Harry Potter.
Paramount Skydance, led by David Ellison, is reportedly considering a bid to acquire Warner Brothers Discovery, a move that would mark further consolidation in the US media industry. The bid would be for the entire Warner Brothers Discovery business, including CNN, HBO, and the film studio behind Barbie and Harry Potter. Warner Brothers Discovery shares surged 29% on Thursday after the news broke, while Paramount Skydance shares rose 16%. However, it's worth noting that a bid has not been formally submitted and the deal may still fall apart. The proposed acquisition would come just weeks after Paramount Skydance completed its own $8 billion merger with CBS. The company is led by David Ellison, whose father Larry Ellison briefly became the world's richest person this week. David Ellison has been in the film industry for over two decades, producing movies like Top Gun Maverick and World War Z. His father's brief stint as the world's richest person was due to a surge in Oracle's stock price. The proposed acquisition would further reshape the US media landscape, which has been dramatically changed by the rise of streaming services. Warner Brothers Discovery is struggling with debt and has made significant job cuts since its 2022 merger. Paramount Skydance, on the other hand, has been expanding its reach through strategic partnerships, including a five-year deal to air South Park on its streaming network. The company's commitment to diversity and inclusion has also been called into question following its takeover of Paramount. It remains to be seen whether Paramount Skydance will follow through with its reported bid for Warner Brothers Discovery, but the move would have significant implications for the US media industry.
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