Paramount Pictures officially announced the closing of its merger with Warner Brothers and its subsidiaries after it faced multiple legal battles. Several states sued to block the merger for various reasons, including threatening to leave Hollywood for Nashville (via Fox 17 Nashville). However, after multiple legal battles, the deal has been approved in the United States and the European Union. CEO David Ellison will remain as head of the newly formed mega Hollywood conglomerate: Skydance. The new company will have multiple subsidiaries, including Paramount Pictures, Skydance Productions, Warner Brothers, DC Studios, HBO Max, ViacomCBS, CNN, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, and Paramount+.
Ellison has also sworn to produce at least 30 theatrical films per year moving forward (via The Wall Street Journal). As well as keep each studio separate for the foreseeable future (via Reuters). Executives Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy have been removed from their positions as head of Warner Brothers Pictures (via Variety). The duo was responsible for ushering in a new era of Lord of the Rings films under Peter Jackson, along with rights owner Embracer Group Sweden. James Gunn and Peter Safran will stay on and continue their work at the newly created DC Studios (via Forbes).
What once was the peak, is now just the beginning.
Paramount and Warner Bros. shaped over a century of culture. By combining them, we aren’t rewriting history — we’re equipping these iconic studios with a more powerful engine. Together, we are Skydance: a creative-first home for… pic.twitter.com/uInLRY3IrE
— David Ellison (@ellisonskydance) October 2, 2026
