David Ellison names Paramount-Warner Bros. “Skydance”

The name comes from his original film production company, Skydance Media, and will reportedly be “a creative-first home for bold, quality storytelling”. When making the announcement, the company stated: “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”.

Posting from his personal X account, Ellison added: “We chose this name 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. 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, we wanted a name that would give the combined company an identity of its own while allowing Paramount and Warner Bros. – and all our extraordinary brands – to remain in the spotlight.

“We have big goals for Skydance, and we intend to pursue them with passion, imagination and a willingness to take smart risks. At the same time, we will honor what makes Paramount and Warner Bros. special – 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.”

Ellison’s Skydance Media first took over Paramount Global for $8.4bn in August 2025, which became known as “Paramount, A Skydance Corporation”. The merger involved first taking over its controlling shareholder, National Amusements, which was backed by private equity firm RedBird Capital. The combined entity became the parent company of CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, the UK’s Channel 5, streamer Paramount+, as well as the movie studio itself.

At the time, Ellison wrote an open letter, which said: “Moving forward, we will work with conviction and optimism to transform Paramount into a tech-forward company that blends the creative heart of Hollywood with the innov,ative spirit of Silicon Valley. By harnessing cutting-edge technologies to serve great storytelling, we will unlock the company’s enormous potential.”

This year, the Paramount-WBD deal forming the new Skydance is set to close on 6 October 2026, according to Variety. This merger will bring together Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, Paramount Television, Warner Bros. Television, CBS, CBS News, CBS Sports, CNN, HBO, HBO Max, TNT, TBS, Discovery, HGTV, Food Network, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Showtime, Paramount+, Pluto TV, and Skydance Animation, Film, Television, Interactive/Games, and Paramount Sports Entertainment.

Ynon Kreiz, CEO, Mattel, was named Co-CEO of the new Skydance, shortly after a California judge formally approved Paramount Skydance’s settlement with California and other states. Discover more here.