WBD Acquisition Thread

[themidnightlore]

Apparently, even before the focus on the channels and streaming, the concern over treatment of news operations is also integral as well, given Skydance's mishandling of CBS News:

"She said she would do so, first, because of “the need for, to the extent that it is reasonable and practicable, a sufficient plurality of views in news media in each market for news media” in the U.K."

It astonishes me that many entities were like "Yeah, good to go." then Ofcom is the first one realizing that maybe, it isn't good to go.

 

[lowell]

It astonishes me that many entities were like "Yeah, good to go." then Ofcom is the first one realizing that maybe, it isn't good to go.

It's not a final decision yet but yeah, the additional Ofcom review could be similar to the EU's separate probe on the Middle East money through their Foreign Subsidies regulation.

The European Commission could rule on one direction to go but yet the EU's foreign funding review could diverge with another direction.

 

[Nexonius]

Paramount Submits Concessions To Gain Euro Approval For WBD Deal

Paramount has offered concessions in a bid to smooth over European Commission concerns about its $111B deal for Warner Bros Discovery.

deadline.com

Paramount leaving United International Pictures or having it shuttered, and/or maybe divesting Channel 5 or some Euro channels. Who knows what Europe wants.

 

[RandomMe]

Paramount Submits Concessions To Gain Euro Approval For WBD Deal

Paramount has offered concessions in a bid to smooth over European Commission concerns about its $111B deal for Warner Bros Discovery.

deadline.com

Paramount leaving United International Pictures or having it shuttered, and/or maybe divesting Channel 5 or some Euro channels. Who knows what Europe wants.

I thought UIP ceased to exist somewhat. I remember seeing Flushed Away in 2006 and it had the UIP logo at the beginning. That's when UIP changed hands IIRC

 

[awinger24]

Well, the EU and UK are hopeless. The state AGs really need a Hail Mary otherwise David Ellison won. Bari Weiss and John Lasseter will stay forever. Expect more celebrity typecasting and AI slop as WB Animation shuts down.

George Feltenstein, Michael De Luca, Pam Abdy, Sam Register and Bill Damaschke are all going to get fired. Movies like One Battle After Another will be banned for not being MAGA approved.

 

[Camping My TV Set]

Well, the EU and UK are hopeless. The state AGs really need a Hail Mary otherwise David Ellison won. Bari Weiss and John Lasseter will stay forever. Expect more celebrity typecasting and AI slop as WB Animation shuts down.

George Feltenstein, Michael De Luca, Pam Abdy, Sam Register and Bill Damaschke are all going to get fired. Movies like One Battle After Another will be banned for not being MAGA approved.

so are we just gonna ignore the UK expressing very clear intent to challenge this merger?

 

[Elijah Abrams]

I thought UIP ceased to exist somewhat. I remember seeing Flushed Away in 2006 and it had the UIP logo at the beginning. That's when UIP changed hands IIRC

It ceased to exist in most countries like Britain, Germany, France, Australia, etc.

 

[zakawer2]

It ceased to exist in most countries like Britain, Germany, France, Australia, etc.

It still exists in places like Denmark and Norway though.

 

[RandomMe]

In Portugal it ceased to exist in late 2006. That's when most countries ceased to used UIP's services.

 

[awinger24]

Well, the UK caved in. They are approving the deal.

https://go.bsky.app/redirect?u=http...may-be-aimed-commitments-not-veto-2026-07-02/

Ellison and the MAGA king will rule the world.

 

[Camping My TV Set]

Well, the UK caved in. They are approving the deal.

https://go.bsky.app/redirect?u=https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/britains-paramount-warner-review-may-be-aimed-commitments-not-veto-2026-07-02/

Ellison and the MAGA king will rule the world.

this is a claim made by paramount's lawyers. not the UK itself. even if they end up being right, it'd do you some good to actually read articles instead of reacting to headlines to fuel your cortisol addiction

 

[zakawer2]

Maybe if Paramount actually offers a lot of concessions to UK and EU regulators, the merger might not actually end up as bad as you might think, awinger24.

Or maybe the concessions they'll need to take in order to actually get the merger approved end up being severe that they prevent Paramount from actually carrying out the merger.

 

[awinger24]

Maybe if Paramount actually offers a lot of concessions to UK and EU regulators, the merger might not actually end up as bad as you might think, awinger24.

Or maybe the concessions they'll need to take in order to actually get the merger approved end up being severe that they prevent Paramount from actually carrying out the merger.

If Ellison gets their way, they will put John Lasseter in charge. They will fire Bill Damaschke. Sam Register will also get fired as WB Animation and Cartoon Network Studios fold into Nickelodeon/CBS.

 

[RandomMe]

As mentioned on the international Nick thread, Super! will be handed back to deAgostini on July 17, in two weeks' time.

 

[Perla Magica]

If Ellison gets their way, they will put John Lasseter in charge. They will fire Bill Damaschke. Sam Register will also get fired as WB Animation and Cartoon Network Studios fold into Nickelodeon/CBS.

Let's not jump ahead to what is about to happen just yet in the future. And most importantly, let's not panic, Ellison hasn't done anything yet regard animation industry.