David Zaslav

Money Moves

Exiting WBD when the merger closes October 6, 2026. He has no operational role in the combined company; Ellison and Ynon Kreiz will serve as co-CEOs.

A federal judge on September 30 approved a settlement clearing Paramount to close its $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, ending a 12-state antitrust fight. The merger is set to close October 6, with David Ellison and Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz running the combined company as co-chief executives.

Updated 4 days ago

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