Paramount Surges Into the Spotlight: Streaming Shake-Up, Blockbuster Deals, and What It Means for Viewers

Paramount Global’s post-merger makeover is accelerating as the Skydance-backed studio lines up an audacious expansion, refreshes its leadership bench and sharpens its streaming playbook. Skydance-Paramount eyes Warner Bros. Discovery purchase Less than three months after David Ellison’s Skydance Media closed its $8.4 billion takeover of Paramount, bankers have been tasked with structuring a mostly cash offer for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), according to sources familiar with the talks. A successful deal would fuse two storied Hollywood libraries, combine CBS and CNN under one roof, and hand the new conglomerate unrivaled leverage in negotiations for live-sports rights and global streaming bundles. Marketing shake-up: Goldstine in, Weinstock out Amid takeover chatter, Paramount has begun overhauling its marketing engine. Veteran campaign architect Josh Goldstine is in final negotiations to become President of Global Marketing and Distribution, stepping in as Marc Weinstock exits after a ten-year run. Goldstine, who steered blockbuster launches for Universal and Netflix, is expected to craft unified theatrical-streaming rollouts that maximize franchise value across Paramount Pictures, Paramount+ and Pluto TV. Shari Redstone resurfaces overseas While the Redstone era at Paramount officially ended with the Skydance deal, former chair Shari Redstone has remained in the industry spotlight. She was just tapped to chair Israeli production outfit Sipur, signaling an international pivot for one of Hollywood’s most influential dealmakers. Her continued clout could become pivotal if regulatory scrutiny intensifies around any WBD transaction. Tech muscle strengthens streaming ambitions Separately, Meta product veteran Dane Glasgow is joining Paramount as Chief Product Officer, tasked with integrating AI-driven personalization across Paramount+ and free-ad-supported Pluto TV. Insiders say Glasgow will prioritize churn-reduction tools and targeted ad formats as the platform prepares to cross 100 million subscribers by 2026. Why the rush to scale? Industry analysts note that Disney’s ESPN/Sports joint venture with Comcast and Fox, Amazon’s NFL exclusives, and Apple’s global MLS pact have intensified the arms race for premium rights. By pairing Paramount’s CBS portfolio—NFL, SEC Football, March Madness—with WBD’s NBA and MLB packages, a combined entity could command the broadest live-sports slate in North America, a differentiator that reduces dependence on pricey scripted originals. Regulatory and financing hurdles Any WBD bid would invite Department of Justice review and require billions in fresh capital at a time when higher interest rates have chilled media M&A. But Ellison’s deep-pocketed backers, including Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, believe scale is essential as cord-cutting accelerates and global ad markets fragment. What’s next • Board vote on Goldstine’s appointment is expected within weeks. • Skydance-Paramount advisers are said to be preparing a formal WBD term sheet before Thanksgiving. • Paramount+ price increase and international bundle with SkyShowtime may be announced on Q3 earnings call. Bottom line Paramount’s rapid-fire moves—targeting Warner Bros. Discovery, rebooting its marketing playbook, and importing big-tech talent—underscore a single narrative: survival in streaming now hinges on bold consolidation and data-driven execution. Whether regulators bless the next mega-merger or not, the studio founded in 1912 is making it clear it won’t wait on the sidelines of Hollywood’s latest plot twist.