Paramount Skydance Weighing Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery
Paramount Skydance is preparing a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), according to sources familiar with the matter. the potential move comes as the media landscape continues to consolidate, with companies seeking scale to compete in the streaming era.
Comcast announced in November 2024 that its NBCUniversal would spin off its pay TV networks, including CNBC adn MSNBC, into a separate, publicly traded entity, a strategy WBD afterward mirrored.
Paramount Skydance itself is the result of an $8 billion merger finalized in August 2025 after a lengthy regulatory review by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC’s approval followed Paramount’s agreement to pay $16 million to Donald Trump to settle a lawsuit over a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr stated upon approval that he welcomed “Skydance’s commitment to make critically important changes at the once storied CBS broadcast network.”
The company, led by David Ellison, son of Oracle founder and multibillionaire Larry Ellison, is currently focused on cutting over $2 billion in costs, with further layoffs anticipated. Last week, Paramount Skydance mandated employees return to the office five days a week or seek a buyout.
Sence the merger backed by RedBird Capital Partners, Paramount Skydance has pursued several deals, including acquiring the U.S. rights to UFC for seven years beginning in 2026. On september 10, 2025, Larry Ellison’s wealth increased by over $100 billion following strong growth projections from Oracle.
Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC.
