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[IbizaPocholo]

As broken by the aforementioned outlet and subsequently reported on by Financial Times and Reuters, Paramount Skydance, fresh off its recent merge, is now in the process of readying a majority cash bid for Warner Bros. Discovery.

The bid is explicitly targeting the entire company, including cable networks, film studios such as New Line Cinema, HBO and DC Studios, and will naturally extend to gaming, as WBD heads the division WB Games and owns numerous developers such as NetherRealm Studios (Mortal Kombat, Injustice), Rocksteady (Batman: Arkham) and WB Montreal (Batman: Arkham Origins, Gotham Knights). As Reuters describes, the bid also comes amidst intense pressures for media consolidation that have been prevalent throughout the decade, but have escalated in light of declining TV viewership and rising production costs for television, film and gaming.

Paramount Skydance is also not the first entity to have expressed interest in pursuing such a venture to acquire WBD, as while that merger was in the process of taking place, Sony Pictures was also reportedly interested in absorbing Warner Bros. Streaming and Studios jointly with Apollo right after the former announced their intentions to split into seperate companies again.

Should such a merger take place and be finalized in the near-term, Skydance will add these studios and the broader swath of entertainment licenses that can be leveraged in video games to their portfolio, which already encompasses Skydance New Media, a development team headed by Amy Hennig currently working on AAA action-adventure titles with major third-party licenses. Their first game, Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, is due early next year.

 

[Astray]

More mergers that create bloated and paralyzed media corpos.. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

WB is in the absolute shit. It's hard to fall even harder but with this move they might have a chance.

 

[SplunkyMunkey]

Thou sony hasn't got deep pockets but sony now with this rumour should get in there quick and take the the gaming side and the movies ips for there specific games

 

[StereoVsn]

Anti-trust? What's that, lol.

I have some doubts this will result in anything good, but Larry got as much cash as needed.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

Thou sony hasn't got deep pockets but sony now with this rumour should get in there quick and take the the gaming side and the movies ips for there specific games

Like Ubisoft, the problem of buying that is the massive wave of layoffs that would follow.

 

[IbizaPocholo]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-15/warner-bros-weighs-reopening-sale-negotiations-with-paramount

Warner Bros Discovery Inc. is considering reopening negotiations with Paramount after receiving a revised offer that addresses shareholder concerns. David Ellison's firm reportedly intends to cover the $2.8 billion in the event of termination of the agreement with Netflix. In addition, Paramount has stated that it wants to refinance Warner Bros.' debt and compensate shareholders if the takeover is not completed by December 31, 2026.

While there are some reservations still, Warner Bros. is reportedly open to launching a new phase of negotiations with its counterpart. It should be noted that Paramount wants to acquire the entire group for $108 billion, compared to Netflix's $82.7 billion offer. The SVOD giant, however, does not wish to acquire the television channels.

 

[Fake]

Better than Netflix.

 

[IDKFA]

Better than Netflix.

Agreed.

Netflix would kill off the cinema, kill off physical media, kill off HBO and become a mega streaming service.

 

[PauloRoberto]

Anti-trust? What's that, lol.

Im im being honest, there WAS a merger blocked on US (Jimmy Cho and Michael Kors, 'cheap' luxury bags)

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Agreed.

Netflix would kill off the cinema, kill off physical media, kill off HBO and become a mega streaming service.

Yes, the other corpos are doing it for brownie points.

 

[IDKFA]

Yes, the other corpos are doing it for brownie points.

Lol.

I'd rather WB not sell up at all, but Paramount is clealry the better option.

 

[Hudo]

Pieces of shit joining together to create a massive piece of shit.

 

[Mr Hyde]

Warner Brothers downfall is really sad to see. They had everything going for them and lost it all.

 

[Zacfoldor]

 

[IbizaPocholo]

Netflix Backs Out of Warner Bros. Bidding, Paramount Set to Win

In a stunning twist, the streaming giant's co-CEOs say the major studio "was always a ‘nice to have’ at the right price, not a ‘must have’ at any price."

www.hollywoodreporter.com

Netflix co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters released a statement Thursday outlining their decision, namely that the deal is "no longer financially attractive" and that it "was always a 'nice to have' at the right price, not a 'must have' at any price."

"The transaction we negotiated would have created shareholder value with a clear path to regulatory approval. However, we've always been disciplined, and at the price required to match Paramount Skydance's latest offer, the deal is no longer financially attractive, so we are declining to match the Paramount Skydance bid," the co-CEOs said.

"Warner Bros. is a world-class organization, and we want to thank David Zaslav, Gunnar Wiedenfels, Bruce Campbell, Brad Singer and the WBD Board for running a fair and rigorous process," they added. "We believe we would have been strong stewards of Warner Bros.' iconic brands, and that our deal would have strengthened the entertainment industry and preserved and created more production jobs in the U.S. But this transaction was always a 'nice to have' at the right price, not a 'must have' at any price."

 

[PeteBull]

Netflix Backs Out of Warner Bros. Bidding, Paramount Set to Win

In a stunning twist, the streaming giant's co-CEOs say the major studio "was always a ‘nice to have’ at the right price, not a ‘must have’ at any price."

www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

[PauloRoberto]

Warner Brothers downfall is really sad to see. They had everything going for them and lost it all.

The beginning of the end was the Justice League Movie... not because it's bad (it is), but the board knew it was bad and forced its release in 2017... because their bonuses were attached to the movie release, not it's reception! That explains, for example, those wasted US$15 million to hide a fu**ing mustache, and it fails on the FIRST scene!

 

[Kacho]

Good. Fuck Netflix.

 

[Polaris]

It's been entertaining to watch people choose sides in this fiduciary slap fight.
A billion dollar slop corporation bidding against another billion dollar slop corporation for the right to own a third billion dollar slop corporation.
And somehow you're expected to pick a favorite? I hope everyone involved in this loses.

 

[Zacfoldor]

Netflix Backs Out of Warner Bros. Bidding, Paramount Set to Win

In a stunning twist, the streaming giant's co-CEOs say the major studio "was always a ‘nice to have’ at the right price, not a ‘must have’ at any price."

www.hollywoodreporter.com

What!!!!!!

\

 

[Mr Hyde]

James Cameron probably put his foot down and threatened to burn Netflix down if the deal went through

 

[howitis3]

Better for movie lovers that netflix doesnt win, but them merging at all is a bad thing

 

[Knight of the Round]

Better than Netflix.

Agreed, though we're talking about whether you'd prefer to have your arm bitten by piranhas or chewed off by a crocodile.

 

[LordCBH]

My preference is 1) WB stay independent.
And, since that's not happening,
2) anyone but Netflix. Netflix would kill the movies going to theaters at some point, and would kill home releases immediately. Fuck Netflix.

 

[Hudo]

It's been entertaining to watch people choose sides in this fiduciary slap fight.
A billion dollar slop corporation bidding against another billion dollar slop corporation for the right to own a third billion dollar slop corporation.
And somehow you're expected to pick a favorite? I hope everyone involved in this loses.

Everyone loosing would be the best outcome.

 

[Zacfoldor]

This is the best we could hope for.

Probably continuing the current DC universe with James Gunn which the man has talent, let's be honest.

Also the movies will keep coming to theatres.

None of this is about the woke level btw. I have no idea how that would play out, this for me is about keeping the DCU and not letting netflix creative heads get their grubby hands in it.

Less changes hopefully. Continuation of course. Maybe this can raise Paramount up a bit and get some better TV for all, I'm looking at you Star Trek. I'd love to see the flash take Batman into the future and he end up on board the Enterprise in TNG and be like....what the fuck...and then Picard is like What the....and he flashes back. That would be cool, lol.

 

[ThatOneGrunt]

Both companies suck. Paramount a little more so because now CNN will probably just broadcast RFK workout videos 24/7.

 

[EN250]

Better for movie lovers that netflix doesnt win, but them merging at all is a bad thing

It's bad no matter what, the only bit of hope here is that Skydance before the merger had a gaming division , so they know more about the media than the retards at Netflix

 

[IbizaPocholo]

Paramount to combine HBO Max and Paramount+ into one streaming service after WBD merger

Paramount said it plans to merge HBO Max and Paramount+ into one streaming service after completing its WBD acquisition.

www.cnbc.com

Paramount+ and HBO Max will be combined into one streaming service if regulators approve Paramount Skydance's
acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery,
Paramount CEO David Ellison said on a conference call Monday.

A combined service would have about 200 million subscribers given existing totals, Ellison said during his company's investor call about the WBD transaction. Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery said last week they had struck an agreement to sell WBD for $31 per share after Netflix backed out of the prolonged bidding war.

Paramount executives didn't offer any details Monday on how the company may price a combined service or what it would be called. Still, Ellison said he wouldn't disrupt the HBO brand.

"HBO should stay HBO," he said, citing its long history of quality programming.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

 

[Exede]

Why is that better than Netflix? Seriously, no idea

 

[mhirano]

Netflix sucks but these Ellison guys are shady as f*ck

 

[meliodas]

All I want to know is what will happen to WB games?

 

[bitbydeath]

Why is that better than Netflix? Seriously, no idea

From a consumer perspective, both would increase price to include WB, but Netflix is currently $25 per month as opposed to Paramount at $13 per month.

Paramount winning would level them, give or take. Netflix winning would make for ludicrous subscription fees.

 

[xanaum]

All I want to know is what will happen to WB games?

That's exactly what I want to know too. They're already involved with games based on their own IPs like Avatar: The Last Airbender and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and there's that licensed Captain America and Black Panther game set in the 1940s, that one actually looks like a real AAA.

At least they're not total outsiders when it comes to games, unlike Netflix.

 

[Tobimacoss]

All I want to know is what will happen to WB games?

Doesn't look too good.

Netflix boss says Paramount acquisition of Warner Bros will result in "cuts in excess of $16 billion" within "18 months or so"

Games studios among many assets to face cost scrutiny if acquisition is approved

www.gamesindustry.biz

The newly merged company will be in excess of $60-$70 billion in debt. Netflix boss says they (Paramount WBD) will have to do $16 billion in cost cutting according to his estimates after having access to WBD financials.

 

[Wolzard]

I'm also concerned about Warner Bros Japan, they produce quite a lot of anime every year.

 

[ByWatterson]

As long as they keep producing 4K discs for classic Warner films, I don't really care what happens to WB Games, if I'm being honest.

 

[IbizaPocholo]

Paramount’s $110 Billion Warner Bros. Deal Backed by Arab Sovereign Funds Raises Soft Power Concerns

Paramount's $110 billion Warner Bros. deal is backed by $24 billion from Arab Sovereign funds, raising concerns over influence and media independence.

variety.com

Paramount Skydance's $110 billion bid for Warner Bros. Discovery is not just a Hollywood deal. Powered by $24 billion from sovereign wealth funds in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, the proposed merger is sparking debate over soft power, influence and media independence at a company that includes CNN and HBO.

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), Abu Dhabi's L'imad Holding Company, and the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) are jointly putting up a total of $24 billion investment into the Hollywood mega merger — a power move that coincides with efforts to build local entertainment industries across the Middle East.