Paramount outguns Netflix for Warner Bros Media Paramount Skydance has emerged victorious in the months-long battle for Warner Bros Discovery, after Netflix refused to raise its offer for the Hollywood giant. The streaming group confirmed it would not match Paramount’s latest $31 (£23)-per-share bid, ending an $83bn pursuit that had threatened to reshape the entertainment sector. “We’ve always been disciplined, and at [...]
Sky rivals Netflix with one TV subscription to rule them all Media Brits now spend more time with streaming services than with traditional broadcast TV. In the US, streaming has already surpassed linear viewing; in the UK, the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime are absorbing a growing share of screen time and, in turn, consumer spend. Revenue from digital entertainment rose to an all-time high of [...]
Warner Bros reopens Paramount talks as bidding war escalates Media Warner Bros Discovery has resumed talks with Paramount Skydance, reigniting the takeover battle with Netflix for one of Hollywood’s most sought-after studios. WBD confirmed it is entering seven days of deal discussions with the David Ellison-backed group, even as it continues to stand by its agreed $82.7bn (£60.94bn) deal with Netflix. The move follows months [...]
HBO’s Industry shows finance is sexy again January 28, 2026 HBO's finance romp Industry didn't make an impact in 2020. Is its 2026 rise a recession indicator? Matt Kenyon muses.
Netflix flashes the cash to end Hollywood’s bidding war January 14, 2026 Netfix is reportedly readying an all-cash offensive to secure its long-awaited $83bn takeover of Warner Bros, in a move set to kill off a persistent hostile bid from rival Paramount Skydance. The Los Gatos streaming giant is set to snub the cash and stock bid in favour of a simpler, hard-currency deal, as it aims [...]
Warner Bros slides ahead of takeover deadline December 30, 2025 Warner Bros Discovery has been trading lower in the days leading up to the 21 January offer deadline, as investors weigh the chances of a successful deal amid competing bids from Netflix and Paramount Skydance. Shares slipped 0.04 per cent to $28.79 (£21.30) on Monday, trading around four per cent below Paramount’s $30 cash offer. [...]
Pressure mounts as Ellison stakes $40bn for Warner Bros December 23, 2025 In the latest twist in Hollywood’s own corporate soap opera, tech billionaire Larry Ellison has personally guaranteed $40.4bn (£30bn) to support Paramount Skydance’s $108.4bn bid for Warner Bros Discovery (WBD), in a bid to outflank Netflix in the fight for the entertainment giant. Warner Bros urged shareholders last week to reject Paramount’s all-cash offer, citing [...]
Netflix holds Hollywood’s crown, but at what cost? December 9, 2025 If you have so much as glanced at any headlines in the past few days, you will have seen that Hollywood is entering a new era of streaming consolidation, with Netflix leading the way. The US giant has agreed a mega $72bn (£54bn) deal to acquire Warner Bros Discovery’s film and TV studios, HBO Max, [...]
Netflix snaps up Warner Bros in blockbuster £54bn deal December 5, 2025 Netflix has clinched a blockbuster deal to take over Warner Bros in a major shake-up of the film and streaming industry. In an announcement on Friday, it was formally announced that Netflix would take over the major streaming and film company Warner Bros in an agreement worth $72bn (£54bn). Should the deal pass regulatory checks, [...]
Harry Potter TV series maker falls into the red as shooting starts July 17, 2025 A company run by the new co-producer of the James Bond franchise entered the red ahead of starting work on the new Harry Potter TV series, it has been revealed. Heyday Television is a joint venture between Heyday Films, which was founded in 1996 by producer David Heyman, and Universal International Studios. In March this [...]