CMB Stock News Of The Day 📰🗞️🗞️📈📉

“Warner Bros. Discovery Sparks Three-Way Bidding Battle as Paramount, Comcast, and Netflix Prepare Offers” 🚨🚨🚨

The race to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD $22.70, +2.51%) is heating up — and fast. According to new reporting from the Wall Street Journal, the field of potential buyers has narrowed to three major contenders: Paramount Skydance (PSKY $15.17, -1.33%), Comcast (CMCSA $27.50, -1.70%), and Netflix (NFLX $1,115.35, -3.37%). With first-round bids due next Thursday, each company is now positioning itself to land one of the industry’s most coveted portfolios.

Shares of Warner Bros. Discovery jumped more than 2% in premarket trading Friday as excitement around the possible sale continues to build.

Per the WSJ, Comcast and Netflix are primarily eyeing WBD’s streaming assets — a prize that would instantly strengthen their competitive foothold in the global streaming wars. HBO, Max, Discovery+, and Warner Bros.’ massive content library remain among the most valuable and recognizable brands in entertainment.

Paramount, meanwhile, is swinging for the fences. The company reportedly wants to acquire the entire Warner Bros. Discovery enterprise, an aggressive move that comes after three previous offers were rejected. Paramount is said to believe it has the cleanest path to regulatory approval.

In a surprising wrinkle, individuals familiar with the negotiations say Paramount sees a key advantage: it believes that Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings’ public support of Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential election could complicate Netflix’s ability to win regulatory approval for such a massive deal.

Whether that political angle holds weight remains to be seen — but it underscores just how high the stakes have become.

With a firm deadline set for first-round offers, the next week could shape the future of Hollywood’s streaming and studio landscape. Whoever wins will gain control of one of the most powerful entertainment catalogs in history, along with significant influence over the future of streaming, theatrical releases, and global content distribution.

One thing is clear: the battle for Warner Bros. Discovery is officially on — and the industry is watching every move.