Paramount's CEO David Ellison has high hopes of using his attorney to lure Zaslav to sell Warner Bros. Discovery

Group 1 - Paramount Skydance's CEO David Ellison is attempting to persuade David Zaslav to sell Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), leveraging the expertise of new hire Makan Delrahim, a former antitrust chief [1][2] - Delrahim's strategy includes highlighting the potential consequences for Zaslav if he does not sell, referencing the recent sale of Paramount's media empire for $8 billion after delays [2] - Zaslav has engaged Goldman Sachs to explore selling WBD, indicating interest from major players like Netflix, Amazon, and Apple, which complicates Ellison's bid [3][6] Group 2 - Warner Bros. has achieved significant box office success, being the first studio to earn $4 billion in 2023, and HBO Max is profitable with strong subscriber growth [5] - Zaslav is actively reducing debt from the TimeWarner acquisition and restructuring the company to facilitate a potential sale, separating cable channels from streaming and studio operations [5][6] - Zaslav is reportedly seeking a bid in the $30 range for WBD's streaming and studio assets, significantly higher than the $22 to $24 per share that Ellison is rumored to be preparing [7][12] Group 3 - Delrahim's assessment suggests that potential buyers like Netflix and Amazon face regulatory hurdles, particularly due to existing consent decrees and antitrust scrutiny [10][11] - Apple is also seen as a less likely suitor, as it prefers to build content organically rather than through acquisitions [11] - The dynamics of the deal-making process are complicated by Zaslav's experience and connections, including his mentorship under notable figures in the industry [12][13]