Mark Thompson, 68, sent a message to the CNN staff Thursday night to help mitigate panic after Paramount Skydance, helmed by nepo baby David Ellison, succeeded in the bidding war to take over Warner Bros. The Daily Beast/20th Century Studios/CNNDavid Ellison's company Skydance merged with Paramount in a $8 billion deal finalized in August 2025. “First that the board of our parent company Warner Bros. On Tuesday, Paramount Skydance upped its offer from $30 per share to $31 per share in all cash, which Warner Bros. Paramount Skydance is poised to own CBS, CNN, and HBO, among numerous other subsidiary properties.

Source: CNN February 27, 2026 11:33 UTC