The merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. should take place next Tuesday

After months of legal battle, the $111 billion merger between the two Hollywood giants should be finalized on October 6.

It’s now a matter of days.

After a year of fierce battle, Paramount boss David Ellison is set to officially take control of Warner Bros. Discovery.

The merger between the two groups, estimated at $111 billion, should be finalized next Tuesday, October 6, 2026.

On Wednesday, Federal Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín, in charge of the antitrust case aimed at blocking the operation, approved the agreement reached between Paramount and the attorneys general of twelve American states who had filed lawsuits to oppose it. This decision constituted the last legal obstacle to the merger.

The merger had already been validated by regulatory authorities in 68 jurisdictions around the world, including the US Department of Justice.

Paramount had tentatively set October 6 as the finalization date in its regulatory filings, before the two companies officially confirmed that timetable on Wednesday.

The judge considered that the agreement constituted a “reasonable” resolution of the conflict, after several rounds of negotiations between the different parties. The green light from justice therefore allows Paramount to complete its acquisition financed largely by debt.

Who will be the new boss of the Paramount / Warner Bros. group? ?

At the same time, David Ellison announced the arrival of Ynon Kreiz, who will leave his position as CEO of Mattel to become co-CEO of the new entity. The different activities of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery will now be placed under the responsibility of the two men.

For his part, David Zaslav, current boss of Warner Bros. Discovery, is expected to step down once the merger is finalized. He could receive more than $550 million in stock and cash, including $34.2 million in severance.

What guarantees for the industry?

The agreement provides several guarantees intended to respond to concerns raised during the antitrust procedure: the new group will not be able to sell the Paramount or Warner Bros. studios. located in the State for at least 5 years. It will also have to invest at least an additional $300 million per year in film production in the United States. Another major commitment: the merged group will have to release at least 30 films in theaters during the first two years, then at least 32 per year for the following three years. Films benefiting from a national release must remain in cinemas for at least 45 days. Finally, the new Paramount-Warner Bros. will be subject to the supervision of a “news editorial independence board”, responsible in particular for establishing principles of editorial and journalistic independence for CNN and CBS News.

The judge also provided mechanisms to impose the transfer of studios or cable channels if the new group does not respect the commitments made within the framework of the agreement.

If all goes according to plan, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery will therefore only form one group in a week.