As Warner Bros. is officially up for sale, many questions have arisen about what will happen to various branches of the studio, depending on who ultimately acquires them. With several reported candidates interested in acquiring the iconic studio, more details are emerging on what one particular merger would look like if it were to happen.
In a new report from Bloomberg, the outlet revealed new details on what a Warner Bros./Paramount merger would look like, should the latter be able to acquire the former. According to sources, Paramount’s David Ellison would want to keep the creative teams of the studios “while consolidating some of the marketing and distribution, according to people familiar with his plans.”
It would mean something like DC Studios, led by James Gunn and Peter Safran, would remain intact, alongside Warner Bros. Pictures’ Pam Abdy and Michael De Luca. In the case of De Luca and Abdy, the two had their contracts renewed, as David Zaslav announced on Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
David Zaslav from an internal note (via Variety):
When I first arrived at the studio, recommitting this storied company to its theatrical roots, renewing Warner Bros. longstanding role as a home for the world’s best storytellers, and reestablishing this iconic studio to its position as an industry leader in terms of quality and box office success were among my key objectives. Bringing Mike & Pam on to lead this team was an important step to achieve those goals, and I am excited to share with you that we have re-upped their deal to enable them to continue the stellar work they and this team will do over the next several years bringing the very best movies to cinemas around the world.”
Bloomberg notes that there is no decision right now on whether Paramount would “part with either company’s real estate, including two of the most famous studio lots in Hollywood.” Warner Bros. has yet to comment.
The DC Universe’s Chapter 1: “Gods and Monsters” has begun to restore the DC brand, including the successful Superman movie, which became the highest-grossing superhero installment for 2025. Warner Bros. also had a strong year at the box office with major hits like A Minecraft Movie, Sinners, and Weapons.
If the merger were to go through, Ellison would merge HBO Max into Paramount+, as he reportedly sees it as a valuable strategy for audience members to consume more movies and TV shows from various creators. Paramount has, at this point, made three unsolicited offers in the last month, but all have been rejected.
The idea of Warner Bros. and Paramount merging has already faced a lot of criticism, including from U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren. The Massachusetts politician called the potential merger a “trap” in a statement on X on October 22, 2025.
Warner Bros. Discovery is currently in the midst of splitting up WB and Discovery, which is expected to be complete by April 2026.
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- Created by
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Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson
- First Film
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Man of Steel
- First TV Show
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Peacemaker
- Cast
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Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Jason Momoa, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Cara Delevingne, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Zachary Levi, Dwayne Johnson, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Djimon Hounsou, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett, Rosie Perez, Ella Jay Basco, Ali Wong, Ewan McGregor, Idris Elba, John Cena, Michael Keaton, George Clooney, Xolo Mariduena
- Movie(s)
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Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, Justice League, Aquaman, Shazam!, Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman 1984, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, The Suicide Squad, Black Adam, Shazam! The Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Blue Beetle, Superman, The Brave and the Bold
- Character(s)
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Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash, Cyborg, Harley Quinn, The Joker, Shazam, Darkseid, Amanda Waller, Lex Luthor, Doomsday, Deadshot, Deathstroke, Black Canary, Black Adam
The DC Universe is one of the biggest comic book franchises and often competes with Marvel. DC Comics started as National Allied Publications, founded by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson in 1935. Since then, the franchise has exploded with thousands of comic books, movies, TV shows, and video games. 2013 marked the beginning of the most recent iteration of the superheroes, with Zack Snyder introducing Henry Cavill as Superman. After several movies with mixed reviews, DC underwent a soft reboot under the helm of James Gunn and Peter Safran.
