Warner Bros. Discovery Stock Extends Surge on Paramount Skydance Takeover Reports

Core Insights - Paramount Skydance is preparing a cash bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, backed by the Ellison family, which includes David Ellison, CEO of Paramount Skydance, and his father, Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle [2][3][7] - Warner Bros. Discovery shares surged 29% following the initial report and increased by another 10% shortly after the market opened, while Paramount Skydance shares rose over 3% [3][7] - The bid aims to acquire all of Warner Bros. Discovery, including its cable networks and movie studio, although no formal offer has been made yet [3][4] Company Developments - Warner Bros. Discovery announced plans in June to split into two companies: one focusing on its studios and HBO Max streaming service, and the other on its cable channels like CNN and TNT [4][7] - The move by Paramount is seen as a strategy to pre-empt a potential bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery's studios and streaming services [4][7] - Paramount Skydance was formed after David Ellison's Skydance Media completed an $8 billion acquisition of Paramount Global [4]