David Ellison has taken the battle for Warner Bros beyond boardrooms and court filings. It has gone international.
According to a new report, David Ellison — CEO of Skydance Media and the driving force behind Paramount Skydance — has embarked on a full-scale European lobbying tour aimed at rallying political and industry support for his hostile bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. The effort comes as regulators on both sides of the Atlantic intensify scrutiny of competing proposals, particularly Netflix’s $83 billion deal for the studio.
In short: this is no longer just a corporate acquisition. It’s a geopolitical fight over the future of one of Hollywood’s most powerful studios.
David Ellison Takes His Warner Bros. Case to Europe
Ellison’s European campaign included stops in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, where he met with government officials, cultural ministers, and influential figures within the film and exhibition sectors. The goal is clear — to present Paramount Skydance as the “safer” steward of Warner Bros. compared to Netflix, whose streaming-first model has triggered widespread concern among theatrical exhibitors and regulators.
Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison being interviewed – YouTube, CNBC Television
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At the center of Ellison’s pitch is a promise that Warner Bros. would remain committed to theatrical releases, existing windowing rules, and local film ecosystems — particularly in markets like France, where theatrical exclusivity is protected by law.
That message appears carefully calibrated for European regulators already wary of Netflix’s influence and its long-standing clashes with theatrical window requirements. However, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has recently attempted to counter this, claiming that Netflix will commit to a 45-day theatrical window for Warner Bros. movies.
Why Netflix Is the Real Target
While Ellison’s bid is technically aimed at Warner Bros. Discovery, his real adversary is Netflix.
The streaming giant has spent years openly criticizing the traditional theatrical model. Its leadership has repeatedly argued that cinemas are inefficient, outdated, or unnecessary — a stance that has alarmed exhibitors and regulators alike.
A graphic showing the Netflix and Warner Bros. Logos – Netflix
Netflix’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. would place one of the last major theatrical-first studios firmly under a company that has historically deprioritized cinemas once awards windows close. Even recent assurances from Netflix executives have done little to ease fears that Warner Bros.’ theatrical identity would eventually be hollowed out.
Regulatory Headwinds Are Getting Stronger
Ellison’s lobbying push comes as regulatory resistance to the Netflix-Warner Bros. deal appears to be stiffening.
European antitrust authorities are reportedly scrutinizing whether Netflix’s acquisition would reduce competition, weaken theatrical exhibition, and consolidate too much cultural power under a single global streamer. In France, where Netflix already operates under strict access delays for theatrical releases, skepticism is especially high.
Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos – YouTube, WSJ News
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Meanwhile, in the United States, Warner Bros. Discovery’s ongoing legal entanglements have slowed momentum for any deal. A recent court decision rejected an attempt by Paramount Skydance to fast-track discovery related to Netflix’s proposal, meaning Ellison’s offer now proceeds under tighter timelines and greater uncertainty.
Still, Ellison seems determined to frame his bid as the industry-friendly alternative.
The Stakes for Warner Bros.
What makes the David Ellison Warner Bros. fight so consequential is what Warner Bros. represents.
The studio is not just another content library. It’s a cornerstone of the theatrical business — home to major franchises, prestige films, and a global production infrastructure deeply embedded in international markets.
WBD CEO David Zaslav Speaks at a New York Times event – YouTube, New York Times Events
Exhibitors across Europe have voiced concern that Warner Bros. under Netflix ownership would eventually face shortened windows, reduced theatrical output, or strategic deprioritization in favor of streaming exclusives. That fear is not unfounded given Netflix’s history and public statements.
Ellison’s pitch hinges on the opposite vision: Warner Bros. as a dual-engine studio operating across theaters and streaming without collapsing one into the other.
A Race Against the Clock
Time, however, is not on Ellison’s side.
Paramount Skydance’s hostile offer includes a self-imposed expiration window, placing pressure on Ellison to demonstrate regulatory viability and political goodwill quickly. Every delay strengthens Netflix’s narrative that its deal is inevitable and economically efficient.
David Ellison in an interview with Bloomberg – YouTube, Bloomberg Podcasts
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That urgency explains why Ellison has gone directly to foreign leaders and cultural institutions rather than relying solely on lawyers and bankers.
This is persuasion at the highest level — and it illustrates how fragile the future of Warner Bros. has become.
What Happens Next
The outcome of the David Ellison Warner Bros. struggle will likely be decided less by Hollywood insiders and more by regulators who understand what’s at stake for theatrical cinema.
Warner Bros Discovery Logo
If European authorities conclude that Netflix ownership threatens cultural protections or exhibition stability, Ellison’s bid could gain crucial leverage. If not, Warner Bros. may be absorbed into a streaming-first ecosystem that fundamentally reshapes how — or if — its films reach theaters worldwide.
Either way, the fact that one of Hollywood’s most powerful studios now requires international lobbying campaigns to secure its future says everything about how precarious the industry has become.
Do you think David Ellison has a chance to snag Warner Bros. away from Netflix? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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There can be no doubt that Wokeflix will never honour it’s 45 days promise. And, heck, 45 days? For many, they may as well wait for the quality stream-rip torrents, and save themselves a fortune, for a better experience. (No DRM, no ads).
Europe went woke. Hollywood went woke. Both are going broke.
I do hope he wins, yet I have a massive amount of restraint in anointing him, and this purchase as a success for Christian-Value based America. I feel we’re being sold some rotten mutton from kosher deli.