3 minutes of readingNew DelhiFebruary 5, 2026 06:56 pm IST
All of Hollywood has been holding its breath since Paramount submitted a hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery. The other big dog in the fight is Netflix, which is also trying to acquire the vast library of content owned by WB. The obvious concern with any of these is how it will make the illusion of choice even worse. To reassure some or strengthen his company’s position, Paramount CEO David Ellison has expressed his intentions in an open letter to the creative community.
WB’s arrival at Paramount would also mean that news outlet CNN would essentially come under the control of the opposing camp. It’s not exactly democratically healthy for multiple national news corporations to be owned by the same person. Everyone fears that Paramount will monopolize news, movies and more, but David has promised that he has no desire to do such a thing.
He wrote in the letter that audiences are better served with “more choice, not less, and with a marketplace that fosters the full spectrum of filmmaking, content creation, and theatrical exhibition, not one that eliminates meaningful competition by creating a monopolistic or dominant entity.” David has also committed to delivering 30 theatrical releases each year, whilst ensuring the market maintains its competitive nature.
David Ellison has made several other commitments regarding the deal, such as the theatrical window to OTT and the independent operation of HBO. The letter aims to increase its chances of winning the bidding war, as Netflix has already done. sweetened the deal by moving to an all-cash offer. On the other hand, David has the support of his father, Larry Ellison, and several sovereign funds from places such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
donald trumpThe Paramount Connection
US President Donald Trump and Oracle founder Larry Ellison have long been associated. Just a few months ago reports came that Trump leaned on his friend so he could get his son David to do Rush Hour 4 with Brett Ratner. Even if Rush Hour 4 doesn’t happen, Ratner had the chance to direct it Documentary about Melania Trump. This close association with Paramount has made people question Trump’s possible involvement in the deal.
The president has now spoken and clarified to NBC News that he “has not been involved.” This is the complete opposite of what he said in December, after Paramount offered $83 billion to Warner Bros. He now says that both parties have contacted him. “I guess I’m considered a very strong president. I’ve been called by both sides. It’s both sides, but I’ve decided I shouldn’t get involved. The Justice Department will take care of it.”