Ellison’s Warner Bros. Bid Advances — Zaslav Out?

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What I’ve been reporting for years continues to play out in real time.

According to Deadline, David Ellison, the head of Paramount Skydance, is quietly working on a deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, and the current CEO, David Zaslav, might not be included in the new company.

Recent reports indicate Larry Ellison is planning a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery. At the same time, Warner Bros.’ top film executives, Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, have just signed new contracts, solidifying the studio’s leadership team.

In short, Ellison is finalizing the team he wants, and it doesn’t look like it includes Zaslav.

Zaslav’s Exit Seems Likely as Ellison Eyes Clean Slate

According to sources, David Ellison and his father, Oracle’s Larry Ellison, don’t plan to keep David Zaslav as a leader at the studio after the sale. While Zaslav likely won’t have a major position, he might be offered a less prominent role, such as a seat on the board or a position as a consultant.

People familiar with the situation believe Zaslav probably wouldn’t want to stay at the company. The new owners, the Ellisons, are looking for a fresh start without any existing problems, including the $30 billion in debt Warner Bros. Discovery currently has.

This confirms what I’ve been saying for a while: Zaslav’s main aim has been to sell off parts of the company. His plan from the start was to divide Warner Bros. Discovery, sell the studio operations, and keep Discovery Global. Now, with reports from Deadline suggesting Netflix might be losing interest, Ellison believes there’s a chance to make a move before competition drives up the price.

De Luca and Abdy Are Key Assets in the Deal

As a follower of what the Ellisons are doing with Warner Bros., it’s clear they’re not just buying the movies and characters – they’re also focused on keeping the best people in the industry. The fact that they’ve renewed the contracts of De Luca and Abdy, who’ve already overseen films that made $4 billion worldwide this year, is huge. It’s like Deadline said – it’s like finding a valuable piece of art when you’re buying a house! The Ellisons clearly see them as essential to building a successful future for the studio.

I’m hearing that De Luca and Abdy are hitting the stage at a Bloomberg conference tomorrow, right after David Ellison speaks. Honestly, it feels like we’re about to get a fascinating, but unofficial, conversation happening on the sidelines of the main event – a real Hollywood ‘sidebar,’ if you will.

Netflix May Be Out, But Timing Is Everything

Industry experts, such as Rich Greenfield from Lightshed Partners, are starting to question whether Netflix would be interested in acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery. Greenfield believes Netflix won’t spend between $75 and $100 billion to buy a company burdened with traditional cable channels, complicated licensing agreements, and significant debt.

Netflix continues to both license shows and movies from other studios and create its own original content. While they may wait until after their planned split in April to try and acquire companies like HBO or DC, doing so could lead to higher prices if multiple parties start bidding. The Ellison family could potentially get a better deal by purchasing everything – including the associated cable networks – right away and then deciding what to keep later.

Ellison’s Bid Has Political Momentum

The Ellisons’ connections to powerful people could give them an advantage. Larry Ellison, who was recently ranked as one of the world’s richest individuals, is a supporter of Donald Trump. This relationship might lead to fewer regulations affecting their business.

I was surprised to hear that Paramount bought Bari Weiss’s publication, *The Free Press*, and now she’s running things as the new editor-in-chief at CBS! She’s pretty well-known for speaking out against what she calls the “woke left.” And just recently, I learned Paramount Global had to pay Donald Trump $16 million to settle a dispute over an edited interview that aired on *60 Minutes*. It’s been a busy time for them, that’s for sure.

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2025-10-09 21:02