Sarandos Slams Paramount as WBD Opens Talks With Rival Suitor
Sarandos Slams Paramount as WBD Opens Talks With Rival Suitor
Netflix chief blasts Paramount Skydance over misleading claims as Warner Bros. Discovery moves to court talks, reshaping a high-stakes $83 billion deal.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos has publicly pushed back against Paramount Skydance, accusing the rival of flooding the market with misinformation as a high-stakes battle over Warner Bros. Discovery intensifies. The backdrop is Netflix’s plan to acquire Warner Bros. and HBO Max through an $83 billion sale reached in December, a deal that remains unsettled amid rival bids and ongoing negotiations. In a CNBC interview, Sarandos urged Paramount to back up its public statements with concrete action and to “put their money where their mouth is” on the final WBD offer.
Warner Bros. Discovery has signaled openness to talks with Paramount Skydance, launching a seven-day window for engagement while continuing to support the Netflix-led deal as it moves toward a March 20 shareholder vote. The company has posed practical questions about whether Paramount’s bid can meaningfully outpace current expectations and what price would persuade the board to change course.
Paramount Skydance has said it is prepared to engage in takeover talks but has stopped short of indicating whether it would raise its price above the current $30 per share offer. The evolving dialogue comes as pressure from shareholders and the larger M&A environment adds pressure on all sides to demonstrate a credible path to value. The evolving dynamics mean two things for investors: a tense negotiation schedule and a brewing decision over who ultimately controls Warner Bros. Discovery’s future and the streaming content slate tied to HBO Max.
In the weeks ahead, market watchers will be tracking not only the negotiations themselves but also how these public disagreements affect the sentiment around streaming strategy, content licensing, and the broader consolidation trend in entertainment. The outcome could influence how rights, budgets, and governance decisions are framed for years to come.
