Tag: Paramount

CEO David Ellison: Paramount+, HBO Max Combining Into One Streaming Platform With HBO Brand to Remain Separate

Paramount Skydance plans to combine the Paramount+ and HBO Max subscription streaming services into one platform upon closing of Paramount’s $76.9 billion ($110.9 billion enterprise value) merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.

Speaking on a special March 2 investor call, Paramount CEO David Ellison said he planned to allow the HBO brand, currently run by CEO Casey Bloys, to operate independently going forward creating content.

It wasn’t immediately clear how the two streaming services would connect, either with a separate Max tile on the Paramount platform, or something else.

“As we said, we do plan to put the two services together, which today gives us a little over 200 million direct to consumer subscribers,” Ellison said on the call. “We think that really positions us to compete with the leaders in the space.”

Ellison said he thinks that by June, Paramount will consolidate the services, including Discovery+ and Pluto TV, under a unified stack featuring more than 15,000 titles.

“To contextualize, [Paramount+ and HBO Max] is roughly the size of Disney, right? Obviously, competitive with Amazon, competitive with Netflix,” Ellison said. “So, we really do think that, that really positions us to be one of the leading competitors in the DTC space and really accelerates our growth there and achieving scale in DTC.”

SVOD market leader Netflix ended 2025 with more than 315 million global paid subscribers, while Paramount+ lost 100,000 subs in the last 90 days of the year, and Max added 3.5 million subs, ending the year with 131.5 million.

Regarding the HBO brand, Ellison said he would prefer not to disrupt the legacy platform.

“Our viewpoint is HBO should stay HBO,” he said. “They built a phenomenal brand. They are a leader in the space, and we just want them to continue doing more of it.”

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Netflix Declines to Counter Paramount’s ‘Superior’ Bid for WBD Assets

In a surprise turn, Netflix has waved the white flag in its bid to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery assets.

Netflix Feb. 26 announced that it has declined to raise its offer for Warner Bros. Netflix had earlier received notice from Warner Bros. Discovery that its board of directors has determined Paramount Skydance’s latest proposal constitutes a “superior proposal” under the terms of WBD’s existing merger agreement with Netflix.

Netflix issued the following statement in response from co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters.

“The transaction we negotiated would have created shareholder value with a clear path to regulatory approval,” read the statement. “However, we’ve always been disciplined, and at the price required to match Paramount Skydance’s latest offer, the deal is no longer financially attractive, so we are declining to match the Paramount Skydance bid.

“Warner Bros. is a world-class organization, and we want to thank David Zaslav, Gunnar Wiedenfels, Bruce Campbell, Brad Singer and the WBD Board for running a fair and rigorous process. We believe we would have been strong stewards of Warner Bros.’ iconic brands, and that our deal would have strengthened the entertainment industry and preserved and created more production jobs in the U.S. But this transaction was always a ‘nice to have’ at the right price, not a ‘must have’ at any price.

“Netflix’s business is healthy, strong and growing organically, powered by our slate and best-in-class streaming service. This year, we’ll invest approximately $20 billion in quality films and series and will expand our entertainment offering. Consistent with our capital allocation policy, we’ll also resume our share repurchase program.

“We will continue to do what we’ve done for more than 20 years as a public company: delight our members, profitably grow our business, and drive long-term shareholder value.”

WBD execs praised their dealings with Netflix.

“Netflix is a great company and throughout this process Ted, Greg, Spence and everyone there have been extraordinary partners to us. We wish them well in the future,” said David Zaslav, president and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery. “Once our Board votes to adopt the Paramount merger agreement, it will create tremendous value for our shareholders. We are excited about the potential of a combined Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery and can’t wait to get started working together telling the stories that move the world.”

Samuel A. Di Piazza, Jr., chair of the Warner Bros. Discovery board of directors added, “I am extremely proud of the rigorous process this board has run over the past five and a half months that has led us to the cusp of combining these two storied companies and the excitement it will bring to audiences for many years to come.”

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Paramount+ Loses 100,000 Subs in Q4, Narrows DTC Fiscal Loss 45%

Paramount Skydance Feb. 25 reported that it completed the fourth quarter (ended Dec. 31, 2025) with 79 million direct-to-consumer streaming subscribers, which was down 100,000 paid subs from the end of the fiscal period through Sept. 30.

Paramount+ quarterly revenue increased 17% to $1.84 billion, from $1.56 billion. DTC revenue increased marginally to $2.21 billion from $2.16 billion in the prior-year period. The operating loss narrowed 45% to $158 million, from a loss of $258 million in the prior year period.

Free ad-supported streaming television platform Pluto TV saw quarterly revenue decline 16%, due in part to monetization challenges, while user engagement increased.

For the fiscal year, the DTC unit posted an operating profit of $230 million on revenue of $8.35 billion, compared with a loss of $497 million on revenue of $8.12 billion in 2024.

“We expect DTC profitability to improve year-over-year as we both grow revenue and manage our investment,” CFO Dennis Cinelli said on the company’s fiscal call.

While Paramount is projecting total revenue of $30 billion in 2026, driven by DTC streaming, the media company says it expects “only modestly higher” paid Paramount+ subs this year due in part to the exit of 4 million to 5 million hard bundle customers with “unattractive economics” in 2025.

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This Week’s MPN Video Podcast: Hollywood’s Biggest Streaming Deal Is Near Collapse

The streaming wars just turned into a negotiation deadline. Netflix has given Paramount–Skydance one final window to improve its offer before Warner Bros. Discovery moves forward — raising the stakes in a multibillion-dollar media showdown.

In this episode of Next TMT Talks, David Bloom and Daniel Frankel explain what Ted Sarandos’ public comments really signaled, why Larry Ellison’s financing matters, and how this deal could reshape Hollywood consolidation.

Topics covered include:

  • Why Netflix allowed one last Paramount bid
  • The real leverage behind Ted Sarandos’ comments
  • Debt pressure and the economics behind the deal
  • What shareholders decide next — and when
  • Global regulators and why approval won’t be easy
  • The future of streaming consolidation
  • What happens if the deal falls apart

 

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‘The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants’ Streaming on Paramount+ Feb. 17

Paramount+ has announced that the animated film The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants will make its streaming premiere on the service on Feb. 17.

The fourth theatrical film based on the iconic children’s cartoon character generated $163.3 million at the global box office, including $71 million across North American screens.

In the film, SpongeBob, desperate to be a big guy, sets out to prove his bravery to Mr. Krabs by following The Flying Dutchman, a mysterious swashbuckling ghost pirate, on a seafaring comedy-adventure that takes him to the deepest depths of the deep sea when no Sponge has gone before.

Directed by series veteran Derek Drymon, the family film features the show’s regular voice cast (Tom Kenny, Clancy Brown, Rodger Bumpass, Bill Fagerbakke, Carolyn Lawrence and Mr. Lawrence) along with a supporting voice cast including George Lopez, Isis “Ice Spice” Gaston, Arturo Castro, Sherry Cola, Regina Hall and Mark Hamill

This latest addition joins three previous theatrical releases, “The Patrick Star Show,” “Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years,” and a 15-season catalog of the original “SpongeBob SquarePants” series on Paramount+.

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Paramount+ Launching College Basketball Docuseries ‘Made for March’ on April 4

Paramount+ Feb. 12 announced a new four-part docuseries, “Made for March,” chronicling two of college basketball’s biggest programs — the Kansas Jayhawks and the Michigan Wolverines — in their bid for a national championship, streaming April 4.

The streamer is betting the two schools are among the NCAA’s Final Four match-ups on April 4, vying for the national championship game on April 6.

The series will feature off-court access, exclusive game footage and interviews, and coverage of key regular‑season, conference and postseason matchups in the Big 12 and Big 10. For the first time, cameras follow both teams across an entire season, capturing the intensity, pressure and passion on the road to and through the post-season.

The show will stream over four weeks first on Paramount+ and then will air on CBS.

  • Episode 101: Saturday, April 4, noon to 1 p.m. ET
  • Episode 102: Sunday, April 5, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. ET
  • Episode 103: Sunday, April 5, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. ET
  • Episode 104: Saturday, April 18, 1 to 2 p.m. ET

 

“In today’s college basketball environment, it’s not easy to build real connection,” Dusty May, head basketball coach at Michigan, said in a statement. “This group has done that, and there’s something special about who they are and where they’re headed.”

“For over two decades, the Kansas men’s basketball program has been approached for a variety of all-access documentaries, and I have always turned them down,” Kansas head basketball coach Bill Self said in a statement. “However, this is the one moment, with an incredibly special team, where I felt it was finally the right time to let viewers behind the curtain to get an unfettered look at what goes on with Kansas basketball.”

Michigan is currently ranked No. 2 in the nation, guided by senior forward Yaxel Lendeborg. The Wolverines entered the season with one of the most touted transfer classes in the country and have been one of the strongest teams in the sport to date.

The Jayhawks are currently ranked No. 9 in the nation, led by widely projected No. 1 NBA draft pick Darryn Peterson. Coach Self has steered the school to two national championships, making Kansas one of the most consistently successful programs in the sport.

The series is produced by Paramount Sports Entertainment and Religion of Sports, a media company founded by Tom Brady, Michael Strahan and Gotham Chopra.

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This Week’s MPN Video Podcast: Big Numbers for Bad Bunny — And Paramount Ups the Stakes

From Bad Bunny’s halftime impact to Olympic momentum and the NBA’s global push, podcasters David Bloom and Daniel Frankel note this week’s spectacle wasn’t just entertainment — it was strategy. Then, the conversation shifts to Hollywood deal drama: Paramount’s latest counteroffer in the Warner Bros. Discovery merger saga — and whether Larry Ellison’s camp will blink.

Topics Covered include:

  • Super Bowl ratings breakdown (124.9 million average viewers across NBC, Peacock and Telemundo)
  • Peacock’s momentum heading into the Olympics
  • NBA’s “USA vs World” strategy and global growth
  • Paramount’s revised merger offer and shareholder pressure
  • The debt math behind the Ellison-backed deal
  • Antitrust politics and what happens next
  • Next TMT Talks explores the intersection of media, tech, telecom, streaming economics, and industry power plays — built for executives and insiders

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Paramount+, CBS Television Network Partner to Air UFC 326

Paramount+ and the CBS Television Network will partner to air UFC 326: Holloway vs. Oliveira 2 live on March 7 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, marking the first UFC event ever to appear on the broadcast network.

Paramount+ will stream every bout from UFC 326 in the United States and Latin America.

CBS will air its first-ever UFC event, simulcasting select fights from both the prelims and the main card in primetime from 8-10 p.m. ET.

UFC 326 Prelims will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Paramount +; CBS will simulcast the final hour of the Prelims from 8-9 p.m. ET.

The UFC 326 main card will start at 9 p.m. ET, with CBS simulcasting the first hour of the main card from 9-10 p.m. ET while the remainder of the evening’s bouts will be available exclusively on Paramount+.

CBS also announced the series “This Is UFC,” tracing UFC’s rise from underground spectacle to global powerhouse, airing Feb. 20 (8-9 p.m., ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ Premium plan subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs). Through conversations with UFC president and CEO Dana White, fighters and rising stars, “This Is UFC” follows the organization’s evolution from a raw, fringe experiment into a dominant force in sports and entertainment. Hosted by UFC reporter Megan Olivi and “Survivor” 45 winner and “Survivor” 50 castaway Dee Valladares, the special captures the energy, history, and future of the sport while spotlighting the UFC’s debut on Paramount+.

This is the first year of a seven-year media rights partnership between Paramount and TKO Group. Under the deal, Paramount+ is the exclusive home for all UFC events in the United States and Latin America, including 13 marquee numbered events and 30 UFC Fight Nights each year. Select numbered events throughout the year will be simulcast on CBS, Paramount’s flagship broadcast network.

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Paramount Taps Mike Aaronson as Head of Worldwide Home Entertainment

Months after the acquisition of Paramount Global by Skydance Media led to a flurry of high-level executive departures, the studio has quietly named Mike Aaronson head of worldwide home entertainment.

He succeeds Andres Alvarez, the former Amazon executive who took charge of Paramount’s home entertainment business in June 2024 after the departure of longtime president of worldwide home entertainment Bob Bucci. Alvarez’s title was EVP and head of home entertainment. Alvarez was one of many executives who left the company in October 2025 in a wave of layoffs that also saw the departures of president of worldwide music Randy Spendlove, SVP of production Brian Oh, EVP of production Geoff Stier, and EVP of international theatrical marketing Rachel Cadden.

There has been no official announcement of Aaronson’s appointment, but according to his LinkedIn profile he assumed the position in December 2025, although the profile says he left his previous position — SVP of commercial strategy and growth at Hyper Hippo Entertainment — in January 2026.

Hyper Hippo is a mobile game studio, founded in 2012, behind such games as AdVenture Capitalist, AdVenture Communist and AdVenture Ages. The company also made Dungeon Dwarves in collaboration with Netflix.

Prior to joining Hyper Hippo in June 2022, Aaronson enjoyed a nearly 18-year run at NBCUniversal Media, where he most recently served as EVP of digital distribution and global strategy.

Previously, Aaronson from 2011 to 2021 was SVP of film production development and strategy, digital distribution, for Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. In that role he was responsible for day-to-day aspects of the company’s domestic EST and VOD business, spanning its film and TV content portfolio across more than 40 retailers. He managed ongoing partner relationships, marketing strategy and media spend as well as all related product management, operations and business intelligence. Aaronson also played a key role in the development and launch of Movies Anywhere, the digital movie locker owned by The Walt Disney Co. and supported by most major studios.

Prior to joining NBC Universal, Aaronson spent three years in the New Video Product Development & Marketing group at Comcast Corp. He began his career with LEK Consulting Group’s Corporate Strategy and Merger & Acquisition Advisory.

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Doc ‘Wild Boys: Strangers in Town’ to Debut Feb. 18 on Paramount+

Paramount+ will release the two-part documentary “Wild Boys: Strangers in Town” exclusively on the platform Feb. 18.

The docuseries from See It Now Studios chronicles the astonishing true story of two young brothers who emerged from the forests of British Columbia in the summer of 2003, claiming they had been raised entirely off the grid — without schools, doctors or any record of their existence. When a local mother takes them in hoping to help the brothers build a new life, a small-town obsession is ignited with journalists and authorities digging deeper and raising unsettling questions about how far people are willing to go to believe a story they want to be true.

A decade in the making, the project gained additional traction following the release of the podcast “Wild Boys,” produced by Campside.

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