Paramount, Warner Bros. reveal new name

This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. End of dialog window. (KTLA) – Once the Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) merger is finalized, the resulting media empire will fall under a new name. On Friday morning, David Ellison took to social media to make the announcement. “What once was the peak is now just the beginning,” he wrote on social platform X. “Paramount and Warner Bros. shaped over a century of culture. By combining them, we aren’t rewriting history — we’re equipping these iconic studios with a more powerful engine.” He added, “Together, we are Skydance: a creative-first home for bold, quality storytelling.” The name Skydance was taken from Ellison’s film and television production company, Skydance Media. It’s not too surprising, seeing as when he joined his company with Paramount Global and National Amusements in 2025, the latter was renamed Paramount Skydance. As for the WBD and Paramount merger, Ellison explained that the new name was chosen “for a few important reasons.” “First and foremost, as we bring Paramount and Warner Bros. together, we wanted to preserve what has made each of these studios iconic,” he continued. “Both have distinct identities, extraordinary legacies and brands that have resonated with audiences for generations. We never wanted a new corporate identity to diminish, alter or overshadow either one.” Instead, Ellison noted they decided they “wanted a name that would give the combined company an identity of its own” while allowing the two entertainment giants to “remain in the spotlight.” He also added that Skydance will “honor what makes Paramount and Warner Bros. special,” which means “giving both studios the opportunity to grow, tell more great stories and bring those stories to even broader audiences around the world, powered by the scale and capabilities of Skydance.” The merger will not only bring together the two Hollywood conglomerates but also HBO Max and Paramount+ streaming services, and the television networks CBS, CNN, MTV, TBS, Comedy Central and Food Network. “I couldn’t be more excited about what we’re going to build together,” he exclaimed. It’s been a long journey to get here. On Tuesday, a California federal judge resolved a lawsuit filed by 12 state attorneys general, which had opposed the $110 billion merger. Weeks earlier, Paramount reached a settlement in an antitrust lawsuit. The tentative closing date for the merger is Oct. 6. Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav is expected to leave his post. He’s reportedly set to receive more than $550 million in stock and cash once the deal closes, including $34.2 million in cash severance payments. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.