

Netflix vs Paramount: The high-stakes battle for Warner Bros, explained in 5 charts
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. On 5 December, Netflix signed an agreement to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery's (WBD) studio and streaming businesses for an enterprise value of $82.7 billion.
WBD's board chose Netflix over the rival bidders Paramount Skydance and Comcast (via NBC Universal). However, three days later, Paramount Skydance, led by CEO David Ellison (son of billionaire Larry Ellison), launched a hostile bid for the entire company, valuing WBD at roughly $108 billion. Ellison bypassed the WBD board, appealing directly to shareholders.
The fight is now turning political, with unions voicing their opposition US President Donald Trump getting involved. Netflix valued WBD’s equity at about $72 billion, or $27.75 per share, offering $23.25 in cash and $4.50 in Netflix stock. The offer excluded WBD’s debt-heavy cable networks, including CNN and TNT, which would be spun off into a new public company, Discovery Global.
Paramount accused WBD’s board of ignoring six superior offers and conducting a biased process that favoured Netflix. In an open letter, Ellison highlighted the strength of Paramount’s all-cash bid, its cleaner regulatory path, and its plan to keep WBD intact by merging HBO Max with Paramount+, its streaming platform. WBD’s board must respond to Paramount by 18 December, but switching suitors would require paying Netflix a $2.8 billion breakup fee.
WBD shares rose about 6% after the Netflix announcement, reflecting the premium over pre-auction levels. Netflix shares fell roughly 3%, driven by concern over the $59 billion of debt needed for the deal and the shift toward buying rather than producing content. Paramount shares initially fell nearly 10% after losing the board auction but rebounded 7-9%
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