Paramount Skydance/Warner Bros. Merger Will Be 49.5% Foreign-Owned

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Posted in: HBO, Max, Movies, Paramount+, TV | Tagged: paramount, Warner Bros

Paramount Skydance/Warner Bros. Merger Will Be 49.5% Foreign-Owned

In a filing with the FCC, it was revealed that the merged Paramount Skydance/Warner Bros. Discovery would be nearly 50% foreign-owned.

Published Mon, 27 Apr 2026 17:32:10 -0500
by Ray Flook
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Article Summary

  • Paramount’s FCC filing says the Paramount Skydance/Warner Bros. Discovery merger would be 49.5% foreign-owned.
  • Three Middle East investment funds would hold a combined 24%, fueling scrutiny over Paramount’s news assets and control.
  • Paramount argues the foreign investment will help the merged company compete more effectively in TV and streaming.
  • WBD shareholders approved the $111 billion Paramount deal, even as outrage grows over David Zaslav’s massive payout.

As David Ellison's Paramount Skydance continues moving forward with its plans to get all the approvals it needs to take over Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount revealed that nearly 50% of the merged company will be owned by foreign investors. In a filing with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Monday to seek approval for the non-U.S. ownership aspect of the deal, Paramount noted that 49.5% of the company will be owned by foreign investors – including 24% holding shared by three Middle East investment funds. Paramount noted that the investors will allow the company to "compete more effectively in the provision of television broadcast services and in the broader video programming marketplace." Though Ellison's company is claiming that the non-U.S. investors will not have a controlling vote, having news organizations CNN and CBS News running under foreign funding should raise red flags. In addition, the overall deal calls into question the legitimacy of the Trump Administration's "America First" initiative, especially in light of Netflix making a cash offer.

Earlier this month, during a special meeting of WBD shareholders that reportedly lasted an impressive 10 minutes, the $111 billion deal was given its blessing by a whole lot of folks who wanted to make themselves richer and not waste a second doing it. But in a move that we're sure was meant to help them sleep at night – but actually has no weight to it and will most likely be ignored – shareholders punched their noses at the steaming piles payout that WBD CEO David Zaslav and others stand to make if the deal gets finalized.

Image: Paramount; Warner Bros. Discovery

"We appreciate the support and confidence our stockholders have placed in us to unlock the full value of our world-class entertainment portfolio. With Paramount, we look forward to creating an exceptional combined company that will expand consumer choice and benefit the global creative talent community," shared chairman Samuel A. Di Piazza Jr., in a statement – one that may have taken longer to write than the actual meeting itself.

Zaslav added about the decision/upcoming big payday, "Over the past four years, our teams have transformed Warner Bros. Discovery and returned the company to industry leadership. Today's stockholder approval is another key milestone toward completing this historic transaction that will deliver exceptional value to our stockholders. We will continue to work with Paramount to complete the remaining steps in this process that will create a leading, next-generation media and entertainment company."

While Ellison tries to figure out how he's going to get 70 films into theaters every year and create all of these amazing things without drastic cuts across the board, "Paramount Skydance shared this statement, "Shareholder approval marks another important milestone towards completing our acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, building on our successful equity and debt syndications and progress across regulatory approvals. We look forward to closing the transaction in the coming months and realizing the creation of a next-generation media and entertainment company that better serves both the creative community and consumers."

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