New York Post·2026-02-16 02:20Core Viewpoint - Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) may need to reconsider a bid from Paramount Skydance due to regulatory pressures surrounding its nearly finalized $72 billion deal with Netflix [1][2]. Group 1: Bidding Process and Offers - WBD is under pressure to reopen the bidding process and consider a "sweetened" offer from Paramount, which has not increased its all-cash bid of $78 billion but has agreed to cover a breakup fee to exit the Netflix deal [3][5]. - Paramount's CEO David Ellison is hopeful for an increase in their offer to over $85 billion, surpassing Netflix's bid of $27.75 per share [5]. - If WBD reopens the bidding, Netflix will have the opportunity to match any new offer from Paramount [6]. Group 2: Regulatory Challenges - The regulatory environment poses significant challenges for Netflix, with potential antitrust scrutiny from the Trump administration that could delay the deal for six months or more [4][9]. - Concerns about Netflix's market power and its implications for competition are heightened, with the DOJ examining whether Netflix constitutes a streaming monopoly [12][13]. - GOP lawmakers have expressed worries about Netflix's influence over culture and programming, which may further complicate WBD's decision-making process [14].