Inside the Paramount-Skydance Camp: Why David Zaslav Is at the Center of Takeover Anger

A big fight is unfolding in Hollywood and on Wall Street. On December 8, 2025, Paramount Skydance launched a hostile bid to buy Warner Bros. Discovery for about $108.4 billion in cash. This offer went straight to Warner’s shareholders. It was meant to beat a separate deal that Warner had already agreed with Netflix. Paramount’s move shocked many in the industry. Warner’s board quickly said the offer was “inferior” and full of risk. Even with backing from billionaire Larry Ellison, the bid keeps getting pushed aside. At the center of the storm is Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, a man both sides criticize.