The Paramount and Warner Bros. merger is indeed moving ahead, and with a new name in tow.
According to Paramount CEO David Ellison, the newly combined company will be known as Skydance… which is what Ellison named his first media company back in 2006.
“Both have distinct identities, extraordinary legacies and brands that have resonated with audiences for generations,” Ellison writes on Twitter. “We wanted a name that would give the combined company an identity of its own while allowing Paramount and Warner Bros., and all our extraordinary brands, to remain in the spotlight.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the merger is worth $111 billion, with Paramount now owning CBS, HBO Max, Paramount Plus, DC Comics, Nickelodeon, and CNN, among several others. There has also been talk that Paramount Plus and HBO Max will combine into one streaming service (which would make sense given that HBO Max is the more popular of the two, and many of us are tired of paying for so many different streaming services).
You might recall that Netflix initially made the winning bid to buy Warner Bros. before Paramount swooped in and made them an offer they couldn’t refuse. And to think we could’ve had the kids from Stranger Things wander into an episode of Peacemaker.
“We have big goals for Skydance, and we intend to pursue them with passion, imagination and a willingness to take smart risks,” Ellison continues. “At the same time, we will honor what makes Paramount and Warner Bros. special, giving both studios the opportunity to grow, tell more great stories and bring those stories to even broader audiences around the world, powered by the scale and capabilities of Skydance.”
For more, check out our list of the best shows to stream now on HBO Max.