Paramount-Skydance/WBD Merger Clears Final Hurdle

Paramount's approximately $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery has cleared final approval and is expected to close around October 6, 2026, with the combined entity reportedly named Skydance Group and led by David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz. The settlement preserves 45-day theatrical exclusivity, 90-day SVOD holdbacks, annual release quotas, independent-film commitments, and conditional divestiture remedies. CinemaCon debate and Warner Bros.' weak theatrical performance, including Digger, sharpen questions about post-close supply, PVOD timing, slate risk tolerance, and integration.