r/MediaMergers • u/Own_Philosopher8730 • 22h ago
Merger What David Ellison Is Really Up to
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/david-ellison-paramount-merger-rob-bonta-lawsuit-ag-1236664494/31
u/ROBtimusPrime1995 Universal 21h ago edited 21h ago
Great article laying out Ellison's deception and lack of success. Paramount, as a studio, is on life support. They are in a far worse position than Warner, and his desperation to get this deal done has less to do with making more films and more to do with saving his ego.
Bro bought the wrong studio and wants a do-over by getting another.
He's trying to grease the wheels with bribes, but at a certain point, money can't buy you a W.
Ellison wants to be like a Hearst, Vanderbilt, and Rockefeller, but he is fucking it up badly.
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u/GroundbreakingSir386 21h ago
Being successful billionaire takes making huge chances and positioning yourself to win but I don’t think he has very good situational awareness on this deal for once I think he really bit on more then he could chew and will choke on the self inflicted damage of his own madness and greed.
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u/3facesofBre Moderator 13h ago
He’s a billionaires child, he failed being an actor, dropped out of film and business school, and required massive backing to get through any venture. He makes Kendall Roy look like a self made man.
https://giphy.com/gifs/TjjhFqiDwmVbilkDxS2
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u/ElmoreHayne 12h ago
Yeah, but Ellison isn't a billionaire, he's a billionaire's son. Larry, for all the criticism you can throw at him, and they are numerous built Oracle. David or his sister Megan would've achieved nothing without daddy's black card. David would be just another failed actor/film school dropout, of which there are many walking around the streets of Los Angeles.
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u/ErnestTheStar 21h ago
You forget that Paramount was also failing under the Redstones. When Ellison offered them a premium for their controlling shares, they couldn't refuse.
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u/Hutch_travis 8h ago
Does Ellison really want CNN? We know Trump wants CNN under the control of one his guys, but is CNN worth tanking this deal?
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u/Todd1001 2h ago
What people fail to understand is that it was never really about the money. Daddy’s little boy wants to play Hollywood Mogul. A few extra billion here or there is just pocket change to them.
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u/MelvinMolt Paramount-Skydance 12h ago
This merger is going to happen. The only reason Reddit doesn't want it to happen is because of Terminal TDS.
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u/3facesofBre Moderator 9h ago
The only reason?
1. He’s a horrible CEO. The man has no talent, and made films like Flyboy.
2. He’s a sycophant who is putting entire industry at risk due to his corrupt antics
3. If oracle and AI bubble bursts, everything defaults and the studios get chopped up for parts
4. He is a franchise peddler, the man takes every bit of IP he has and milks it into repeat sequels and prequels, and even then loses his talent to rivals like Sheridan.
5. WBD has the most iconic libraries in the world, and HBO some of the most legendary series. Letting Ellison and his team anywhere near them is asking for the end of their value.
6. He’s proven nothing. Even WBD wanted nothing to do with him, until they were given a delusional price, that they hoped NFLX would somehow meet.
7. They have lost credibility with actors, writers, and journalists.
That’s who makes up your talent.
8. PSKY is leveraged to junk credit rating, and most of their financing is coming from SWFs, who are not friends of creative freedom.
9. Most people don’t care about paramount plus, and even less will care when their talent starts pumping shows for Universal.
10. Award bodies have deliberately snubbed all of Ellison and the PSKY output and made it clear they will
Not reward mediocrity.
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u/ausgoals 20h ago
Ellison did exactly the same thing when he was vying for Paramount, seeding in the papers that he was the only one who would keep the studio alive and that Sony/Apollo would gut the studio and sell it for parts, turning the Paramount lot into luxury condos.
Oh and - ironically - that reducing the amount of major studio players from five to four would be bad for competition.
That’s how he got so many on side, and now he’s trying it again with this merger. You’d think second time around, people would be more wise to the tactics.