David Zaslav

Money Moves

Exiting WBD at closing; no operational role in merged company; shareholders voted 83% against his $700M+ exit package in a non-binding advisory vote

Paramount Skydance won the WBD bidding war in February 2026 and cleared the DOJ and European Commission by July. The deal is now paused: a federal judge in Oakland issued a temporary restraining order on July 20 after a 12-state coalition led by California sued to block it.

Updated Jul 25

Money Moves

Named defendant in Paramount lawsuit; defending Netflix deal and pushing for April 2026 shareholder vote

On December 5, 2025, Netflix announced a definitive deal to acquire Warner Bros.' film and television studios and streaming businesses, including HBO and HBO Max, valued at $72 billion in equity and $82.7 billion including debt. On January 20, 2026, the parties amended to an all-cash structure at $27.75 per share, with a shareholder vote expected by April 2026.

Updated May 10

Money Moves

Seller of Warner Bros. studios and streaming; future head of spun‑off Discovery Global

After Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery announced their $72 billion equity-value agreement on December 5, the transaction quickly became a live bidding contest and a regulatory test case. On December 8, Paramount Skydance launched an unsolicited all-cash tender offer at $30 per share to derail the Netflix deal and keep WBD intact, including networks slated for its Discovery Global spin-off. Within days, Netflix began a coordinated shareholder push backing its signed merger agreement and emphasizing regulatory execution, while WBD prepared formal filings to respond to the tender offer.

Updated May 9