Paramount Secures $20 Billion+ From Gulf States for Warner Bros. Deal – Report

Paramount Skydance has reportedly secured over $20 billion in backing from Gulf investors as it pushes forward with its planned acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. The funding is expected to support the proposed deal, which is still awaiting regulatory clearances and shareholder approval.

Paramount reportedly lining up Gulf-backed funds for Warner Bros. deal

Paramount Skydance is moving ahead with its proposed takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery by arranging large-scale financial backing from Middle Eastern investors. The company, overseen by David Ellison, is reported to be close to securing nearly $24 billion in equity commitments to support the transaction.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the funding is expected to be led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which has agreed to contribute around $10 billion. Additional investment is expected from Qatar Investment Authority and Abu Dhabi-based L’imad Holding Co., with agreements likely to be finalized in the near term.

The publication also reported that the Gulf investors are expected to take minority stakes in the combined company and will not have voting rights. Their individual holdings are also projected to remain below the 25 percent level. In this structure, the investment is not expected to trigger a mandatory review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. For the same reason, it is also unlikely to draw scrutiny from the Federal Communications Commission.

The proposed acquisition, which carries an estimated enterprise value of around $111 billion, remains subject to regulatory approvals and shareholder consent. Warner Bros. Discovery has scheduled a shareholder meeting for April 23, 2026, to vote on the deal. The companies have said they expect the deal to close by the end of the third quarter of 2026. 

Both companies have outlined a target to complete the deal before the end of the third quarter of 2026. However, internal discussions indicate it could be finalized as early as July, subject to regulatory approvals. 

Source: Comingsoon.net