Skydance completes acquisition of Warner Bros. movie studio

Skydance has completed its purchase of Warner Bros., joining two of Hollywood's biggest studios. The deal also brings together the HBO Max and Paramount+ streaming services under one company. Together, the studios will control about a quarter of all cinema ticket sales in the United States.

Not everyone welcomed the merger. Twelve state attorneys general, the Writers Guild of America, and thousands of industry workers opposed it. Critics argued it would reduce the number of films made and give one company too much power.

As part of a legal settlement, the combined company has agreed to release 30 films per year. Skydance's owner David Ellison says each studio will keep its own identity and release around 15 films annually, which is more than either studio produced in 2025.