Warner Bros

Netflix and YouTube have sat comfortably in the lead, competing head to head for the biggest share of viewing time in living rooms around the world

Takeover likely to get FCC backing

The dramatic turnaround positions Paramount to acquire Warner Bros in a $110 billion deal, making the Ellison family owners of one of the world's largest entertainment empires

Netflix is declining to raise its offer to buy Warner Bros Discovery's studio and streaming business, in a stunning move that effectively puts Paramount in a position to take over the fellow storied Hollywood giant. On Thursday, after Warner's board announced that Skydance-owned Paramount's offer was superior to the agreement it had previously struck with Netflix, the streaming giant said that at the price that would be required to buy Warner, a deal was "no longer financially attractive." Unlike Netflix's bid, Paramount wants all of Warner's operations, including networks like CNN and Discovery. That would put CNN under the same roof as Paramount's CBS and combine two of Hollywood's last five remaining studios. Warner Bros Discovery has determined that Paramount's latest takeover offer is superior to the streaming and studio agreement it struck with Netflix, marking a stark shift in momentum in the fight for the storied Hollywood giant. The owner of HBO Max, DC Studios and popular

The fight for Warner Bros. is one of the biggest media deals in years and whichever company wins, it will likely have great influence on the entertainment industry going forward

DOJ broadens review of Netflix's $72 billion Warner deal, probing potential monopoly power and leverage over filmmakers under US antitrust laws

Although the chief focus of the review is likely to be Netflix Inc.'s dominance in the streaming business, the release of Warner Bros. films in theaters has become a concern as well

Warner Bros Discovery is briefly reopening takeover talks with Skydance-owned Paramount to hear the company's "best and final" offer, while the Hollywood giant continues to back the studio and streaming deal it struck with Netflix. In a Tuesday regulatory filing, Warner said it had received a waiver from Netflix to reopen talks with Paramount for the next seven days, or until Monday. Warner said this will allow the companies to discuss unresolved "deficiencies" and "clarify certain terms" of Paramount's latest bid. But in the meantime, Warner's board is still recommending shareholders support of its proposed merger with Netflix. A special meeting is now scheduled for Friday, March 20 to hold a vote on that deal. In a statement, Netflix said it was confident that its proposed transaction "provides superior value and certainty" - but recognised "the ongoing distraction for WBD stockholders and the broader entertainment industry caused by PSKY's antics." The streaming giant noted it ha

Paramount informally broached an even higher per-share price of $31, Warner Bros said, apparently enticing the board to the table

Paramount has revised its offer, agreeing to cover the $2.8 bn Netflix breakup fee and backstop Warner Bros' debt refinancing to ease board concerns

It did not raise its overall offer of $30 per share, or $108.4 billion including debt, for the whole of Warner Bros including cable assets

The battle between Netflix and Paramount over Warner Bros. has grown acrimonious and drawn scrutiny, regardless of which bidder succeeds, setting up a major antitrust test for the Trump administration

The new all-cash bid - at $27.75 a share - has unanimous support from the HBO owner's board, according to a Tuesday regulatory filing

Netflix lined up $59 billion of financing from Wall Street banks to help support its acquisition, in the form of one of the largest ever bridge loans

Paramount Skydance is taking another step in its hostile takeover bid of Warner Bros Discovery, saying that it will name its own slate of directors before the next shareholder meeting of the Hollywood studio. Paramount also filed a suit in Delaware Chancery Court on Monday seeking to compel Warner Bros. to disclose to shareholders how it values its bid and the competing offer from Netflix. Warner Bros. is in the middle of a bidding war between Paramount and Netflix. Warner's leadership has repeatedly rebuffed overtures from Skydance-owned Paramount and urged shareholders to back the sale of its streaming and studio business to Netflix for USD 72 billion. Paramount, meanwhile, has made efforts to sweeten its USD 77.9 billion hostile offer for the entire company. Last week, Warner Bros. Discovery said its board determined Paramount's offer is not in the best interests of the company or its shareholders. It again recommended shareholders support the Netflix deal. David Ellison, the

This comes a month after Warner Bros. struck a deal with Netflix in December to have the streamer acquire its TV and movie studios for $83 billion

Warner Bros' board said Paramount's offer hinges on "an extraordinary amount of debt financing" that heightens the risk of closing

Paramount had said that Ellison was open to personally guarantee equity financing backing the bid, a move aimed at easing doubts that had dogged its earlier proposal

A proposed mega-deal involving Netflix and a major Hollywood studio has sparked a three-way power struggle—union fears, theatre panic, regulator heat, and a rival counter-bid.

After Warner Bros board rejected its offer, Paramount Skydance said Larry Ellison will provide a $40.4 billion irrevocable personal guarantee backing its $108.4 billion bid