3 min readNew DelhiFeb 5, 2026 06:56 PM IST
The whole of Hollywood has been holding its breath ever since Paramount put in a hostile bid for Warner Bros Discovery. The other big dog in the fight is Netflix, who are also trying to acquire the vast library of content owned by WB. The obvious concern with any of these is how the illusion of choice will get even worse. To put some minds at ease or strengthen his company’s position, Paramount CEO David Ellison has voiced his intentions in an open letter to the creative community.
WB going to Paramount will also mean that the news outlet CNN would come under the control of basically the opposite camp. It’s not exactly democratically healthy for multiple nationwide news corporations to be owned by the same person. Everyone fears that Paramount will monopolise news, movies and more, but David has promised that he wishes to do no such thing.
He wrote in the letter that the audience is better served by “greater choice – not less – and by a marketplace that encourages the full spectrum of filmmaking, content creation, and theatrical exhibition, not one that eliminates meaningful competition by creating a monopolistic or dominant entity.” David has also committed to 30 theatrical releases each year, while ensuring that the market retains its competitive nature.
David Ellison has made several other commitments regarding the deal, such as the theatre-to-OTT window and HBO’s independent functioning. The letter is to increase his chances to win the bidding war, as Netflix has already sweetened the deal by moving to an all-cash offer. On the other hand, David has his father, Larry Ellison, and several sovereign wealth funds from places like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi backing him.
Donald Trump’s connection to Paramount
US president Donald Trump and Oracle founder Larry Ellison have long been associated with each other. Just a few months ago reports came that Trump was leaning on his friend so that he could get his son David to make Rush Hour 4 with Brett Ratner. Even if Rush Hour 4 doesn’t happen, Ratner got the chance to helm the Melania Trump documentary. This close association with Paramount has made people question Trump’s potential involvement in the deal.
The president has spoken up now and clarified to NBC News that he “hasn’t been involved.” This is the complete opposite of what he said in December, after Paramount offered $83 billion to Warner Bros. Now he is saying that he has been contacted by both sides. “I guess I’m considered to be a very strong president. I’ve been called by both sides. It’s the two sides, but I’ve decided I shouldn’t be involved. The Justice Department will handle it.”
