Entertainment
Paramount Seeks Gulf Funding for $110bn Warner Bros Discovery Takeover
Paramount Global is reportedly in advanced talks to secure nearly $24 billion in equity commitments from major Gulf sovereign wealth funds to support its planned $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
The proposed deal, first announced in February, carries an equity value of approximately $81 billion and is expected to close in the third quarter of the year, pending regulatory approvals.
If completed, the merger would unite some of the world’s most influential media assets, including networks such as CNN and CBS. The combined entity aims to strengthen its position in the rapidly evolving entertainment landscape, where streaming platforms continue to draw audiences away from traditional television.
To finance the takeover, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is expected to contribute roughly $10 billion, forming the largest share of the Gulf-backed investment, the report said.
Other potential investors include the Qatar Investment Authority and Abu Dhabi-based L’imad Holding, though none of the parties have publicly confirmed their involvement.
According to the report, the Gulf investors will not hold voting rights in the merged company, a structure that could help ease regulatory concerns in the United States. Paramount executives reportedly do not expect the deal to trigger a review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) or the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Both Paramount and the potential investors declined to comment on the development outside regular business hours.
Industry analysts say the move reflects a broader trend of deep-pocketed sovereign wealth funds investing in global media and technology assets, as traditional entertainment companies seek scale and capital to compete in the streaming era.
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