The first round of Warner Bros. bids has officially landed, and the early numbers reportedly don’t come close to the “$30 per share” that CEO David Zaslav hoped to command.
According to On The Money, offers were delivered at noon on Thursday, and insiders say the winning figure will “likely fall far short” of Zaslav’s target. Now that the real contenders have stepped onto the field, the picture of who’s actually in this race is much more focused — and much smaller — than months of online discourse suggested.
Three Real Bidders
The New York Post report confirms the bidding war centers on just three major players:
- Paramount Skydance
- Comcast
- Netflix
Paramount Skydance, powered by David Ellison and backed by Oracle founder Larry Ellison, entered an all-stock bid of $23.50 per share and is expected to increase to “around $25” in the coming rounds. Advisors close to the Ellisons are warning not to push past the “upper $20s” — specifically they don’t want to cross $27.
Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison being interviewed – YouTube, CNBC Television
Meanwhile, Comcast and Netflix each face serious scrutiny. The Post states outright that both companies face “significant regulatory hurdles from the Trump administration” — hurdles that could drag their approvals out for years. And in Comcast’s case, debt concerns complicate the equation even further.
Zaslav may want a price “with a three in it,” but the early round simply isn’t supporting that number.
The Saudi Rumor
Here’s the twist that anyone following this saga online will notice.
Recently, some corners of social media and certain industry personalities repeatedly floated the idea that the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) was close — even “a signature away” — from buying Warner Bros. Discovery outright.
WBD CEO David Zaslav Speaks at a New York Times event – YouTube, New York Times Events
The speculation was loud enough that it became an ongoing talking point among fans and commentators tracking WBD’s future.
But now that the formal Warner Bros. bids have actually arrived, something stands out clearly:
The PIF isn’t mentioned in any of the real reporting surrounding active bidders.
Not by sources. Not by analysts. Not in regulatory chatter.
The former site of the Warner Bros. Discovery DEI page – https://www.wbd.com/diversity-equity-inclusion
READ: RUMOR: Disney Says Sabrina Carpenter “Too Pretty” To Play Rapunzel in Live Action Tangled Remake
This doesn’t prove the earlier rumors were fabricated — only that whatever exploratory conversations may have existed never translated into an official, board-level offer in the bidding process now underway. The contrast between how prominent the rumor was earlier this month and how absent it is today is noteworthy all by itself.
Politics, Not Just Price, Are Steering This Ship
One of the most striking elements in the Post’s reporting is the political angle. The Trump administration clearly prefers the Ellison-led Paramount Skydance.
A source told On The Money, “I can’t imagine Trump wants to approve any deal that makes Brian Roberts or Reed Hastings stronger.” The Ellisons, whose ties to Trump are well-documented, are expected to enjoy a streamlined, “quick and clean” six-month antitrust review.
President Donald Trump speaks at CPAC in 2017 – YouTube, The New York Times
Netflix and Comcast, by contrast, could wind up in regulatory limbo for two years — or longer — with no guarantee of approval.
If you’re a board trying to sell a $70 billion media empire, timing matters just as much as price.
Zaslav Wants $30 — But the Market Isn’t Offering It
Zaslav has reportedly been hoping for at least $30 a share — a figure that values the company around $70 billion.
The problem is simple: None of the real bidders are anywhere close to that.
WBD CEO David Zaslav Speaks at a New York Times event – YouTube, New York Times Events
Paramount Skydance is the only group bidding for the whole company outright. Comcast and Netflix are mostly interested in pieces of WBD, which could cause tax complications and drag out the sale even further. And with political approval favoring only one bidder, the board has fewer viable paths than it might like.
If no offer rises enough to please Zaslav, the board may fall back on the earlier plan: split WBD into separate divisions and revisit a sale next year.
Reality Is Now in the Driver’s Seat
What comes next will determine whether Warner Bros. Discovery actually sells, holds out for a better second round, or walks away entirely from these bids.
The WB logo before a Looney Tunes cartoon – YouTube, Public Domain Remastered
But after months of chatter, speculation, and online narratives, the solid facts are finally taking shape — and they paint a much clearer picture than the rumor mill ever did.
Who do you think will come out on top after these Warner Bros. bids? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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It’s sad that of the options the Saudis were the only ones that didn’t make me cringe with disgust. At least if the Saudis had acquired WBD it would’ve been run like an actual business with profits as the goal instead of some propaganda bureau for whatever libtard agenda the others are going to continue to push. Of the 3 left I’d rather it go to Netflix, especially knowing that if Comcast/NBC Universal gets it it’ll be gays/troons/anti-White everything like all the stuff they put out these days, and Paramount Skydance will just turn it into the newest branch of ZOG. Netflix isn’t much better than the other two, but there’s an outside chance they’ll focus on profits instead of the agendas especially after spending that much money on their newest toy. Sadly it’s really a contest of which turd is the best smelling at this point.
I don’t want muslims anywhere near Western entertainment. Even though it being run by weak jewish men and militant lesbians, presently, sucks to high heaven.
Yeah, I can understand the reasoning behind that. You got to look on the bright side though, I highly doubt a Saudi owned WBD would ever allow a movie to be made where a woman goes girlboss on a man ever again. Say what you will about the Hajis but they at least don’t take any BS from women. Amazing how all it takes is men having a little bit of solidarity to get them back in the kitchen barefoot and pregnant. That’s why the old saying about shooting a traitor over an enemy is absolutely true, because of it wasn’t for weak willed simps trying to white knight for these sluts we wouldn’t have to deal with these “empowered” bitches.