WBD Acquisition Thread

[RandomMe]

...2014. Be Mad started after that issue, if not wrong.
Hm...
But yeah, in Italy they're really out of slots. Maybe in Spain they aren't, but TDT is way smaller there and when someone closes a channel, you gotta fill that slot (Hi Squirrel and Veo7)...

Be Mad started in 2016 as an HD-only channel. At least the kids channel was saved

 

[JulianRO]

PSKY published the presentation of the WBD acquisition, along with a transcript from a meeting that occured yesterday:

https://ir.paramount.com/events/event-details/paramount-acquire-warner-bros-discovery-form-next-generation-global-media-and

The final result will be expected on March 20, when the shareholders will decide if WBD should stick with Paramount or not.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

The final result will be expected on March 20, when the shareholders will decide if WBD should stick with Paramount or not.

My concern is that they will, because they have no choice.

Anyway…

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

 

[JulianRO]

Since Trump recently traveled to Saudi Arabia, well, you know....

(not starting politics, just joking)

 

[RandomMe]

Reminds me fhat there were interests from the Saudi Public Investments Group last year, I think it was for Paramount

 

[Elijah Abrams]

Hollywood filmmakers aren’t happy with the merger.

 

[GRPHX]

Since Trump recently traveled to Saudi Arabia, well, you know....

(not starting politics, just joking)

I hope the Iranian crisis made problems on funding. Trump is cutting off people's access to quality service just because of CNN. It's unbelievable.

 

[AetherOps]

If there's any siverlining in all this, it's that WB Games might fair better under a Paramount ownership versus a Netflix ownership, If the recent Spongebob and TMNT games are any indication.

 

[awinger24]

It's going to get fast tracked before the midterms. The merger will officially close in September 2026. WB will likely die that month. Q3 2026 is doable because the courts won't do anything. California won't file a lawsuit on time. RIP WB (1923-2026) which is why the merger needs to be blocked now. Not tomorrow or next week.

 

[JulianRO]

Your last bets would be the EU or UK blocking the acquisition. The shareholders surely will vote for it.

 

[powergate92]

Your last bets would be the EU or UK blocking the acquisition. The shareholders surely will vote for it.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, European regulators are unlikely to block the deal, but the EU Antitrust Review may slow it down.

Europe Won’t Kill the Paramount-Warner Bros. Deal — but It Could Make David Ellison Wait

After the mogul's European charm offensive, Brussels prepares for a complex antitrust review of the $110 billion studio tie-up — one more likely to slow the deal than stop it.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

[awinger24]

According to the Hollywood Reporter, European regulators are unlikely to block the deal, but the EU Antitrust Review may slow it down.

Europe Won’t Kill the Paramount-Warner Bros. Deal — but It Could Make David Ellison Wait

After the mogul's European charm offensive, Brussels prepares for a complex antitrust review of the $110 billion studio tie-up — one more likely to slow the deal than stop it.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

I honestly wouldn’t read what these Penske owned trades have to say about it. Approval and regulatory are unpredictable.

 

[Daikun]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-03/paramount-debt-downgraded-to-junk-following-warner-purchase-deal

Ellison, any word about this?

It might actually get a second downgrade.

 

[JulianRO]

European regulators are unlikely to block the deal

Then it's clear. Welcome to PSKY, WBD.

 

[Moe]

After looked about what Ellison did to Kansas City after they bought Cerner, so they closed two major office centers and left one major office center mostly empty with possibly close in near future. Poor to Kansas City.

Now, I'm worried about Paramount studio and WB studio since Ellison could move one to Texas, so both studios could be mostly empty or closed. It will devastate the Hollywood and California further. I'm getting tired of polarized politics nowadays.

What’s Going On With All The Empty Cerner Buildings?

After tech goliath Oracle Corp. purchased Cerner Corp. for $28.3 billion in 2022, the firm ceased operating two of its three main campuses.

kansascitymag.com

 

[Space Cadet]

I expect the deal to go through but it would be nice if it somehow gets rejected and WBD just stays as-is. Thought it was weird for them to merge since the studio side had a fantastic 2025 at the box office and it's still continuing in 2026.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

Then it's clear. Welcome to PSKY, WBD.

Not yet. @powergate92 said the EU may slow it down. How long though?

 

[Moe]

Not yet. @powergate92 said the EU may slow it down. How long though?

It is article's opinion, so whether to get M&A approved is unpredictable.

 

[RandomMe]

After looked about what Ellison did to Kansas City after they bought Cerner, so they closed two major office centers and left one major office center mostly empty with possibly close in near future. Poor to Kansas City.

Now, I'm worried about Paramount studio and WB studio since Ellison could move one to Texas, so both studios could be mostly empty or closed. It will devastate the Hollywood and California further. I'm getting tired of polarized politics nowadays.

What’s Going On With All The Empty Cerner Buildings?

After tech goliath Oracle Corp. purchased Cerner Corp. for $28.3 billion in 2022, the firm ceased operating two of its three main campuses.

kansascitymag.com

I get it that they want to decentralize the film industry, but what will happen to Hollywood proper is beyond insane

 

[Moe]

I get it that they want to decentralize the film industry, but what will happen to Hollywood proper is beyond insane

True enough, it would be too insane for owners of major studios to consider those.