Warner Bros. Discovery Sale Ribbed At Golden Globes – “Do I Hear Five Dollars?”
The biggest story in Hollywood and one of the messiest got a few zingers during the 83rd Golden Globes as host Nikki Glaser kicked off her opening monologue with a reference to the biggest takeover target in years. “We’ll start the bidding for Warner Bros. at five dollars — do I hear five dollars?” the comedian joked.
Dinging David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance, the owner of CBS since August now is in the midst of a fight for WBD, she called CBS News “Americans’ newest place to See BS news” and offered it a mock award for “Most Editing.”
The Globes hit right in the eye of a major Hollywood storm pitting Paramount against Netflix for WBD. The media company led by David Zaslav agreed to sell its studio and streaming assets to giant run by Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters, rebuffing multiple offers from Paramount. Paramount has taken its offer directly to shareholders with a hostile tender offer that runs through Jan. 21.
Meanwhile, there’s a massive PR battle underway. Warner’s board advised shareholders to reject the Paramount offer, which is for $30 a share in cash and backstopped by David Ellison’s ultra-rich father, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. Paramount says its deal is by far the best and surest bet.
Later in the evening, as Glaser descended from the stage into the starry audience, she noted, “Behind me is the HBO table — or whatever it will be called by the time the show ends.”
And, she said, WB’s Sinners “singlehandedly saved Warner Bros., for about a month … but still,” after the film won the Globe for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement.
Warners had a great run last year and co-CEOs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy were oft mentioned tonight. Paul Thomas Anderson was teary eyed about De Luca after wining Best Director for One Battle After Another. The Pitt also won big. And Hacks was back. Altogether, Warner Bros. Discovery touted nine wins across HBO Max, Warner Bros. Television Group and Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group.
Sarandos received his share of kudos around Adolescence and Kpop Demon Hunters.
President Donald Trump has said he’ll be involved in any decision. He’s been on the fence. He’s friendly with Larry Ellison, but has called Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos a great person. Today, just as the Globes were getting underway, he may have deflated the Netflix camp by reposting a commentary on Truth Social that warns about the giant streamer’s “cultural hegemony.”
A WBD deal with either party is likely to take 12-18 months to close so things should be clearer at the 84th Awards.
