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Skydance Corporation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from WarnerMount)
"Skydance" redirects here. For the current corporation's predecessors, see Paramount Skydance and Skydance Media. For other uses, see Sky Dance.

Skydance Corporation
Formerly
Skydance Media (2006–2025)
Paramount Skydance (2025–2026)
TypePublic
NYSE: SKYD
IndustryMass media
Entertainment
PredecessorsParamount Skydance
Warner Bros. Discovery
FoundedApril 4, 2006; 20 years ago (2006-04-04)
(as Skydance Media)
August 7, 2025; 14 months ago (2025-08-07)
(as Paramount Skydance)
October 6, 2026; 1 day ago (2026-10-06)
(as Skydance Corporation)
FounderDavid Ellison
Headquarters
Area served
Worldwide (except Russia, Belarus and North Korea)
Key peopleDavid Ellison (chairman and CEO)
Ynon Kreiz (co-CEO)
Andy Gordon (president)
Dennis Cinelli (CFO)
Products
Brands
List
Services
Owner
List
Number of employees
53,100 (2026)
DivisionsSkydance Studios
Skydance Direct-to-Consumer
Skydance TV Media
SubsidiariesList of assets owned by Skydance Corporation
WebsiteOfficial website
Footnotes
[2]

Skydance Corporation is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate formed by Paramount Skydance's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.[3] The transaction closed on October 6, 2026.[4][5] The company is headquartered in Los Angeles[6] and New York City,[7][8] with major offices in Burbank and Atlanta.

The company combines the assets of Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery. Its portfolio includes the company's flagship film studios Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures, broadcast and news networks CBS and CNN, subscription video and on-demand services Paramount+, Pluto TV, HBO Max, and Discovery+, children's cable networks Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, and other major cable networks like Comedy Central, MTV, TBS, and TNT.[3]

The company is led by David Ellison as chairman and chief executive officer, alongside Ynon Kreiz as co-chief executive officer.[9] Ellison will oversee long-term strategy, creative direction, technology, strategic partnerships and capital allocation; while Kreiz will oversee day-to-day operations and integration of the combined businesses. The company uses the Skydance name, trademark and branding formerly associated with Ellison's Skydance Media.[3]

History

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Skydance Media was founded in 2006 by David Ellison and developed a long-running relationship with Paramount Pictures, beginning with a co-financing and production partnership in 2009.[10] In August 2025, Skydance Media completed its merger with Paramount Global, creating Paramount Skydance.[11]

Separately, WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc. merged in April 2022 to form Warner Bros. Discovery.[12]

Paramount Skydance subsequently agreed to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, with the combined company scheduled to adopt the Skydance name upon closing.[3]

Acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount Skydance

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After Paramount began making unsolicited offers to acquire WBD as a whole, the WBD board of directors initiated a review of strategic alternatives on October 21, 2025, aimed to maximize shareholder value which developed into a formal bidding process.[13] The process was won in December 2025 by Netflix, which agreed to acquire Warner Bros., including its film and television studios, HBO and HBO Max, in a transaction valued at $82.7 billion.[14] Paramount continued to make unsolicited offers for the entirety of WBD, arguing that a Netflix acquisition of Warner Bros. would give it an excessive share of the Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) market[15] and that Paramount's proposal would provide greater support for theatrical exhibition.[15] Paramount CEO David Ellison stated that the combined company would release 30 theatrical films annually, maintain theatrical release windows, and preserve the creative independence of divisions such as HBO.[15]

In February 2026, Paramount revised its offer several times, ultimately proposing to acquire WBD for $31 per share in cash, fund WBD's $2.8 billion termination fee to Netflix, and pay an additional "ticking fee" to WBD shareholders if the transaction had not closed after September 30, 2026.[16] The WBD board determined that Paramount's proposal constituted a superior offer,[17] and the transaction was approved by WBD shareholders on April 23, 2026. On June 12, 2026, The US Department of Justice's Antitrust Division completed its review of the acquisitions and cleared the transaction.[18] The European Commission approved the acquisition subject to conditions requiring Paramount to withdraw from its United International Pictures distribution joint venture with Universal Pictures in Europe.[19] Similarly in the United Kingdom, Paramount made legally binding commitments to maintain the distinct editorial identities of its linear and on-demand services, preserve the independence of Channel 5 News from CBS and CNN international, and keep children's channels including Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network editorially distinct. Most of the commitments are to remain in effect for five years.[20]

Supporters of the acquisition argued that combining the companies would provide greater scale to compete with streaming and entertainment conglomerates like Disney and Comcast while maintaining theatrical distribution.[21] Critics, including filmmakers, employees and lawmakers, raised concerns over increased media consolidation, reduced competition and employment, and the combined company's bargaining power.[22][23]

In July 2026, California and 11 other U.S. states, along with the Writers Guild of America, filed antitrust lawsuits seeking to delay the acquisition.[24] Paramount later reached a settlement with the states in late September, subject to a five-year consent decree containing competition and editorial safeguards.[25] The settlement was finally approved by a federal court on September 30, clearing one of the final obstacles to the transaction, which Paramount completed on October 6.[26]

On October 2, 2026, David Ellison announced that the combined company would be named Skydance following the completion of the Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition, reviving the Skydance name previously used by his production company Skydance Media. Paramount and Warner Bros. would retain their individual studio identities under the new parent company.[3] Ellison would serve alongside former Mattel chief executive Ynon Kreiz as co-CEO of the combined company, with Kreiz overseeing its day-to-day operations and integration.[27] The company is split into three divisions, Studios, Direct-to-Consumer, and TV Media.[28] Ahead of the merger's completion, reports also stated that Paramount Pictures co-chairs Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg were expected to lead the combined Paramount and Warner Bros. film operation, succeeding Warner Bros. film chiefs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy.[29]

Post-acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery

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On October 6, 2026, Skydance announced that the new company’s staffers that layoffs are in the offing. “Integrating two companies will bring change, including difficult decisions that affect our workforce. We are committed to handling this process thoughtfully and respectfully,” Ellison and Kreiz wrote in a memo to the employees.[30]

Management

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Board of Directors

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Enterprise Leadership

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Corporate Leadership Team

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Business Leadership Team

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Assets

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References

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  1. ↑ Spangler, Todd (April 27, 2026). "Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery Will Be 38.5% Owned by Middle Eastern Funds Following Close: Filing". Variety. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  2. ↑ Goldbart, Max (August 8, 2025). "Paramount Shifting Its Corporate Headquarters To Los Angeles". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 6, 2026. Core corporate infrastructure, including investor relations, financial divisions, and advertising sales, will continue to actively operate out of One Astor Plaza in New York City.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Mehraj, Anzar (October 2, 2026). "David Ellison says combined Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery will be named Skydance". Reuters. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery announce expected closing date". Paramount. October 2026. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Paramount wraps up mega Warner Bros merger to create Skydance". NBC News. Reuters. October 6, 2026. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  6. ↑ Lindsay, Benjamin (September 21, 2026). "David Ellison Says Paramount Headquarters Won't Leave LA: 'We Aren't Going Anywhere'".
  7. ↑ "Skydance Investor Relations". ir.skydance.com. October 6, 2026. Retrieved October 6, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ↑ "Skydance Corporation | Paramount, Warner Bros., HBO, & History | Britannica Money". Encyclopedia Britannica. October 6, 2026. Retrieved October 7, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Chairman and CEO David Ellison announces Ynon Kreiz as co-CEO". Paramount. October 2026. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  10. ↑ "About". Skydance. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Paramount closes $8 billion merger with Skydance after settling '60 Minutes' lawsuit". Reuters. August 7, 2025. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  12. ↑ "WarnerMedia, Discovery complete merger, become Warner Bros Discovery". Reuters. April 8, 2022. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Warner Bros. Discovery Initiates Review of Potential Alternatives to Maximize Shareholder Value". ir.wbd.com. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  14. ↑ "NETFLIX TO ACQUIRE WARNER BROS. FOLLOWING THE SEPARATION OF DISCOVERY GLOBAL FOR A TOTAL ENTERPRISE VALUE OF $82.7 BILLION (Equity Value of $72.0 Billion)". ir.netflix.net. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  15. 1 2 3 "PARAMOUNT LAUNCHES All-CASH TENDER OFFER TO ACQUIRE WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY FOR $30 PER SHARE". Paramount. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  16. ↑ "EX-99.(a)(2)(m)". www.sec.gov. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Warner Bros. Discovery Board of Directors Determines Revised Proposal from Paramount Skydance Constitutes a "Company Superior Proposal"". ir.wbd.com. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  18. ↑ Office of Public Affairs (June 12, 2026). "Statement of the Department of Justice Antitrust Division on the Closing of Its Investigation of the Merger of Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros". United States Department of Justice. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  19. ↑ Chee, Foo Yun (July 22, 2026). "Paramount secures EU nod for $110 billion Warner Bros deal, US hurdles ahead". Reuters. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  20. ↑ "Public statement- Proposed acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery by Paramount: decision of no intervention on Public Interest Intervention or Foreign State Influence grounds". GOV.UK. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  21. ↑ Spangler, Todd (May 12, 2026). "Paramount Skydance Defends WBD Merger". Variety Australia. Staff. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  22. ↑ Maas, Jennifer (April 13, 2026). "Joaquin Phoenix, Ben Stiller, Kristen Stewart and 1,000-Plus Hollywood Names Oppose Paramount-Warner Deal in Open Letter: 'Block the Merger'". Variety Australia. Staff. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  23. ↑ Saba, Jennifer (July 14, 2026). "Breakingviews - COMMENTARY: Paramount-WBD lawsuit heads for tragic ending". Reuters. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Writers Guild sues to block Paramount deal, saying it would hurt writers". Reuters. July 14, 2026. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  25. ↑ "CNN, CBS News oversight board will be 'toothless,' experts warn". Reuters. September 22, 2026. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  26. ↑ Hayes, David (October 6, 2026). "Skydancing At Last: $110B Merger Of Paramount And Warner Bros. Discovery Officially Closes". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  27. ↑ "Paramount gets court green light on Warner Bros deal, names Mattel's Kreiz co-CEO". Reuters. September 30, 2026. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  28. ↑ "David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz Announce their CEO Leadership Team for Skydance Following Anticipated Close of Warner Bros. Discovery Acquisition" (Press release). Paramount Skydance. October 5, 2026. Retrieved October 6, 2026 – via PR Newswire.
  29. ↑ "Josh Greenstein & Dana Goldberg Poised To Run Combined Paramount Warner Bros Film Unit". Deadline Hollywood. October 2, 2026. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  30. ↑ Spangler, Todd (October 6, 2026). "Skydance CEOs Acknowledge Layoffs Will Be Coming After Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger: Read the Full Memo". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. ISSN 0042-2738. OCLC 60626328. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
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