David Ellison Hits Europe to Push Hostile Warner Bros. Discovery Takeover

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As a big media fan, I’m following this closely! David Ellison is really working hard to get European leaders and people in the film industry on board with his massive $108.4 billion offer for Warner Bros. Discovery. Apparently, he’s trying to build support to compete with Netflix, who also wants to buy the studio. It’s a huge deal, and regulators both here in the US and over in Europe are keeping a really close eye on everything that’s happening.

This week, Larry Ellison and his team traveled to Paris. They held meetings with key French leaders, including President Emmanuel Macron and Culture Minister Rachida Dati, as well as prominent figures in the film industry like Gaetan Bruel (CNC), Sidonie Dumas (Gaumont), Richard Patry (French Exhibition Association), and Victor Hadida (Metropolitan Filmexport). Bloomberg was the first to report on the visit to the Élysée Palace.

I’ve been following the news, and it sounds like Paramount is really making an effort to connect with leaders across Europe. I heard that Bob Bakish and his team have been meeting with people in both Germany and the U.K. Apparently, Bob spoke directly with Lisa Nandy, who’s in charge of culture, media, and sports in the U.K., and they’ve also been talking with officials at the European Commission. It seems like they’re trying to build some strong relationships over there.

A judge in Delaware has stopped Paramount Skydance from quickly moving forward with its lawsuit against Warner Bros. Discovery. The lawsuit aimed to force Warner to share financial information about its $83 billion deal with Netflix. This means that Barry Diller and Mario Gabelli’s $30-per-share takeover attempt can proceed without an expedited review process. Their offer is currently scheduled to expire on January 21st, a deadline set by their team.

Last month, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos traveled to France for the premiere of “Emily in Paris” Season 4. While there, he met with leaders in the entertainment industry and spoke with French President Macron as Darren Star was awarded the Legion of Honor. He also attended an event for Canal+ and reassured their CEO, Maxime Saada, that Netflix would continue to show Warner Bros. films in cinemas. The following day, Sarandos and Netflix’s Greg Peters visited Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank to meet with Discovery CEO David Zaslav, confirming that Netflix’s content deal was solid.

People in the French film industry were surprised to hear Netflix might show Warner Bros. movies in theaters for only 17 days. This is against French law, which requires films to play in cinemas exclusively for four months. Additionally, Netflix must wait 15 months before streaming new films in France. Netflix has protested these rules and even taken the case to France’s highest administrative court.

During meetings in Paris, David Ellison emphasized his dedication to supporting movie theaters. According to a Variety source who was present, Ellison was very determined to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. The source said his reasoning was solid, explaining that his plan involves preserving both studios, respecting traditional release windows in France and internationally, and continuing high-quality film and television production at both Paramount and Warner Bros.

According to another industry insider, Larry Ellison is actively trying to influence the outcome of the deal. They said the proposed agreement between Netflix and Warner is facing intense review in the U.S., and is likely to be blocked by European antitrust regulators. Ellison has reportedly made it clear he’d prefer to see Warner sold to Paramount Skydance instead of Netflix, believing that would be better for the film industry.

European movie theaters are worried about what’s going to happen with Warner Bros. They’ve already seen fewer people coming to the movies in 2025, and Warner Bros. is a key partner – not just because of its popular films, but also because it has a strong connection with moviegoers in Europe. So, the future of Warner Bros. is particularly important to them.

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2026-01-16 17:14