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Paramount Skydance Emerges as Preferred Buyer for Warner Bros. Discovery After Netflix Withdraws

The Ellison-led bid now faces a March 20 shareholder vote followed by antitrust review.

Overview

  • Warner Bros. Discovery’s board judged Paramount Skydance’s revised $31‑per‑share offer, valuing the company at about $111 billion, to be superior to Netflix’s prior agreement.
  • Paramount’s proposal includes deal protections such as a reported $7 billion reverse breakup fee and additional financial backstops, with personal guarantees attributed to Larry Ellison reported by several outlets.
  • Netflix confirmed it would not match the higher price, a decision that lifted its shares and could yield a reported $2.8 billion termination payment once the rival deal is completed.
  • If approved, the acquisition would encompass all of Warner Bros. Discovery, including HBO/HBO Max and CNN, creating a media group reported at roughly $70 billion in annual revenue with control of major franchises.
  • Press‑freedom advocates and some analysts warn of heightened media concentration and urge close scrutiny of CNN’s fate given the Ellison family’s ties to President Trump and the expected multijurisdictional reviews.