Warner Bros Discovery Approves Paramount Deal Because Money
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Warner Bros Shareholders Approve Paramount Skydance Deal Because Money
To absolutely no one's surprise, Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders needed reportedly 10 minutes to approve the Paramount Skydance deal.
Published Thu, 23 Apr 2026 10:09:12 -0500
by Ray Flook
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Article Summary
- Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders reportedly approved the Paramount Skydance deal in just 10 minutes.
- The $111 billion Warner Bros. deal moved forward fast, with shareholders prioritizing value over resistance.
- Shareholders also pushed back on David Zaslav’s massive payout, though the gesture may carry little weight.
- With Warner Bros. and Paramount closer to merging, David Ellison now faces pressure to deliver without deep cuts.
Well, if you were holding out hope that there were enough Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders willing to stand up and draw a line in the sand regarding David Ellison's Paramount Skydance taking over Warner Bros. Discovery, it might be time to move onto "Plan B." Earlier today, during a special meeting of WBD shareholders that reportedly lasted an impressive 10 minutes, the $111 billion dollar deal was given its blessing by a whole lot of folks who wanted to make themselves richer and not waste a second doing it. But in a move that we're sure was meant to help them sleep at night – but actually has no weight to it and will most likely be ignored – shareholders punched their noses at the steaming piles payout that WBD CEO David Zaslav and others stand to make if the deal gets finalized.
"We appreciate the support and confidence our stockholders have placed in us to unlock the full value of our world-class entertainment portfolio. With Paramount, we look forward to creating an exceptional combined company that will expand consumer choice and benefit the global creative talent community," shared chairman Samuel A. Di Piazza Jr., in a statement – one that may have taken longer to write than the actual meeting itself.
Zaslav added about the decision/upcoming big payday, "Over the past four years, our teams have transformed Warner Bros. Discovery and returned the company to industry leadership. Today's stockholder approval is another key milestone toward completing this historic transaction that will deliver exceptional value to our stockholders. We will continue to work with Paramount to complete the remaining steps in this process that will create a leading, next-generation media and entertainment company."
While Ellison tries to figure out how he's going to get 70 films into theaters every year and create all of these amazing things without drastic cuts across the board, "Paramount Skydance shared this statement, "Shareholder approval marks another important milestone towards completing our acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, building on our successful equity and debt syndications and progress across regulatory approvals. We look forward to closing the transaction in the coming months and realizing the creation of a next-generation media and entertainment company that better serves both the creative community and consumers."
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