2025 Hollywood Business

[zendragon]

2 hours ago, Technico Support said:

I saw a dude today and thought, “you think you look good but you look like a PM Dawn backup singer.”  1) that’s some five star hating and 2) it reminded me of CB4.

[odessasteps]

I didn’t really care who got WB until my friend asked what will Netflix do with TCM,

[jaedmc]

TCM would still be a network with the other Discovery properties like TNT and TBS that aren't included in the deal. The issue would be the rights catalogue to some of the movies they show will no longer be under the same corporate umbrella. I think Netflix would be more than happy to license old movies to TCM, especially if it's a way to make inroads with Spielberg and the rest of the crew that got involved with TCM back when Zaslav started laying people off. TCM also negotiates with other companies outside of the Warners and early MGM catalogue that they had access to, so the station has options. All is not lost.

[odessasteps]

Similar to the angst when Criterion was sold. 

[RIPPA]

On 12/5/2025 at 7:58 PM, RIPPA said:

Paramount is trying some sort of hostile takeover and is still trying to acquire WB by going straight to the shareholders

The hostile takeover is officially happening

https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/paramount-hostile-takeover-bid-warner-bros-discovery-1236603175/

Quote

David Ellison is not going away quietly in his quest to land Warner Bros. Discovery.

On Monday, Ellison’s Paramount Skydance announced it has commenced an all-cash tender offer to acquire all of the outstanding shares of WBD for $30 per share — the same terms it offered in its Dec. 1 bid submitted to the Warner Bros. Discovery’s board. Paramount’s proposed transaction is for the entirety of Warner Bros. Discovery, including the TV business with CNN, TBS, TNT and other networks.

 

[Dolfan in NYC]

1 hour ago, RIPPA said:

The hostile takeover is officially happening

https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/paramount-hostile-takeover-bid-warner-bros-discovery-1236603175/

 

Notably, Paramount's announcement says it's backstopped by the Ellison Family, RedBird Capital, and a lot of debt with Citi, Bank of America, and Apollo Financial.  

They do not mention information that's available via SEC filings, which state there are a few other contributors  (Notably, the Kushners, , , and )

[jaedmc]

The highlights:

Netflix, through their deal's structure, was going to pay 72 billion for an enterprise valuation of 82 billion. That means that they pay 72 billion but they'd also be on the hook for 10 billion in debts. Their deal was a mix of paying for X amount of WB stock at 27.75 a share AND giving a little bit of Netflix stock too. In other words they were paying for the stock and then saying here's some speculative investment that we're sure will probably be worth even more in the future. Which, because it's Netflix stock it probably will be more valuable going forward - so not a terrible deal.

Ellison and Skydance said, they'll pay cash for all of it including the TV networks(Netflix wanted just the studio, library and streaming service). And they'd pay 30.00 dollars a share for 108.4 billion enterprise value.

I suppose the question is - is the TV side worth the 26 million more in debt and assets?

That extra 26 billion looks like it comes from

24 billion come from the sovereign wealth funds held by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

1 billion from Kushner's Affinity Partners Company

1 billion from Tencent  

Kushner and the Middle Eastern investors have agreed to waive their governance rights and won't be allowed on any boards. THis is to avoid some more scrutiny from the government.

I think the part that would give me the most pause if I'm on the Paramount Skydance side of this merger is their having to get 54 Billion in credit from Citibank, Bank of Amerca and Apollo to make the deal work. That's in addition to about 33 billion of long term debt they'd be taking on that Warner Bros. owes.

So you take on close to 90 billion in new debt and you're a company(Paramount Global) that has a market valuation of like 7 billion. I think Skydance adds maybe another 5 to that.

And the industry you're investing in with the hopes of paying that shit back is linear TV networks, a streaming service few people use, and... I dunno a Harry Potter reboot? Best of luck.

[Technico Support]

Aside from the hostile takeover attempt, Trump is also making noise about “looking into” the Netflix deal.  So the president of the US is either signaling that he’s ready to entertain bribes or he’s looking to help the Ellisons.  Or even both.  Holy fuck, what has happened to this country?  Look, I know things have always been bad and corruption, greed, and bribery have always been the rule, but this is just some next level, banana republic shit.  
 

So every time there is a major merger in the next three years (hopefully less, inshallah), this guy is gonna stick his nose in like some building inspector or state athletic commission looking to get his beak wet.  Jesus.

Edited December 8, 2025 by Technico Support

[Stefanie Sparkleface]

My thought is that Skydance wants the TV assets so it can spin off WBD's TV assets with Paramount's, and send the debt with the TV spinoff company while maintaining the libraries of both Warner Brothers and Paramount. Otherwise, nothing about it makes sense if they intend to keep the TV assets running. It's like buying a boat that's in the process of sinking.

[jaedmc]

3 hours ago, Stefanie Sparkleface said:

My thought is that Skydance wants the TV assets so it can spin off WBD's TV assets with Paramount's, and send the debt with the TV spinoff company while maintaining the libraries of both Warner Brothers and Paramount. Otherwise, nothing about it makes sense if they intend to keep the TV assets running. It's like buying a boat that's in the process of sinking.

Yeah, just redo what Zaslav did but with your own garbage too. It's pretty much the only option.

I kinda want to see how far this can go. Like who else can the Networks bundle get sold to so that we eventually get all TV Networks under one super massive debt umbrella.  

[Technico Support]

16 hours ago, Stefanie Sparkleface said:

My thought is that Skydance wants the TV assets so it can spin off WBD's TV assets with Paramount's, and send the debt with the TV spinoff company while maintaining the libraries of both Warner Brothers and Paramount. Otherwise, nothing about it makes sense if they intend to keep the TV assets running. It's like buying a boat that's in the process of sinking.

It's somehow both comical and sad that companies are just going to keep creating ever-growing Voltrons of debt and kicking them on down the street.

Note: I originally wrote "rat kings of debt."  Pick whichever joke appeals to you more.

Note #2: "Rat Kings of Debt" is a sweet band name.

Edited December 9, 2025 by Technico Support

[NikoBaltimore]

For a second I thought of Netflix as the babyface in this situation until I remind myself it's Netflix.

There's a shitton of political reasons for wanting Paramount so I'm not surprised how much they're doubling down.  And if somehow the deal went past that the courts would deny Netflix out of spite anyway.  Either way the whole thing is absolutely fucked and I don't see much that points to this not eventually happening.

I guess I'll be panic buying some DVDs/Blurays I was on the fence about and trying to find other ways to check WBD media.

[Elsalvajeloco]

34 minutes ago, NikoBaltimore said:

For a second I thought of Netflix as the babyface in this situation until I remind myself it's Netflix.

There's a shitton of political reasons for wanting Paramount so I'm not surprised how much they're doubling down.  And if somehow the deal went past that the courts would deny Netflix out of spite anyway.  Either way the whole thing is absolutely fucked and I don't see much that points to this not eventually happening.

I guess I'll be panic buying some DVDs/Blurays I was on the fence about and trying to find other ways to check WBD media.

Netflix vs. Paramount is Shawn vs. Rick Martel at SummerSlam 92. Same same. There is NO babyface here.

[Raziel]

Yeah, at this point I'm just gonna start grabbing everything I can start grabbing on Bluray and UHD.  Mostly because I went back and tried to watch some old DVD's on modern TV's and, well, it's not quite good.

[Dolfan in NYC]

I'm gonna put out the bat signal for @Greggulator for this theory...

I'm guessing she may leave some stuff out or these holding companies can just randomly exist for reasons completely unrelated.  But, it's an interesting theory.

[zendragon]

22 hours ago, Stefanie Sparkleface said:

My thought is that Skydance wants the TV assets so it can spin off WBD's TV assets with Paramount's, and send the debt with the TV spinoff company while maintaining the libraries of both Warner Brothers and Paramount. Otherwise, nothing about it makes sense if they intend to keep the TV assets running. It's like buying a boat that's in the process of sinking.

reading beyond nitro. Vince never actually bought WCW just select IP for 2 million and change, AOL/Time Warner kept the debit for tax reasons

[Dolfan in NYC]

God help us all when this bubble pops. 

[Technico Support]

I read a story a few days ago about an AI company whose product wrote code and/or sped up code production.  Microsoft and a bank had invested 500+ million and the company was valued at something like 1.5 billion.  Turns out the "AI" was just a few hundred Indian dudes.

Edited December 12, 2025 by Technico Support

[odessasteps]

6 hours ago, Dolfan in NYC said:

God help us all when this bubble pops. 

Insert Kingdom Hearts joke here

[zendragon]

3 hours ago, Technico Support said:

I read a story a few days ago about an AI company who product wrote code and/or sped up code production.  Microsoft and a bank had invested 500+ million and the company was valued at something like 1.5 billion.  Turns out the "AI" was just a few hundred Indian dudes.

Sounds like Tesla's fake AI robots

[elizium]

The entire economy is built on Mechanical Turks

[Curt McGirt]

On 12/5/2025 at 6:48 AM, Technico Support said:

Depends on whether the industry players or Netflix offers more “campaign contributions.”  Also, with Paramount losing the bid, don’t be surprised if this gets held up and scrutinized for possible antitrust implications, like the Paramount/Skydance merger was until they bent the knee.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

*gasp*

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...

Sorry. Couldn't resist

[NikoBaltimore]

On 12/11/2025 at 10:59 AM, Dolfan in NYC said:

God help us all when this bubble pops. 

Yeah, Disney and all involved can kick rocks. We're never going back and I hope more drop them once and for all.

[dogwelder]

 

[Dolfan in NYC]

This could go to either the Awards Thread or here, but...

Beginning in 2029, the Oscars will be broadcast exclusively on YouTube.