Paramount Eyes Elon Musk For Investment As WBD Deal Nears Finish Line – Report
News Source
•Wed, 23 Sep 2026 19:14:59 +0000
📰 What Happened
Paramount executives have talked about seeking an equity investment from Elon Musk as they close their deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, according to a Semafor report.
Larry Ellison personally agreed to backstop over $40 billion in equity financing for the deal. A group of Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds led by Saudi Arabia joined as investors.
Those funds will hold a combined stake of just under 50% in the merged company. Paramount declined to comment on the report.
🔍 The Backstory
Musk is one of several wealthy people Paramount, led by CEO David Ellison, has considered approaching. Larry Ellison and Musk are friendly, with Ellison investing $1 billion in Musk's Twitter takeover in 2022.
Paramount settled an antitrust lawsuit with a dozen state attorneys general on September 21. The deal is expected to close in about two weeks, pending a judge's approval.
Banks are preparing to sell $49 billion in debt to help fund the takeover.
🎯 Why It Matters
The merger would reshape major US media, putting CBS News and CNN under one owner. Musk's involvement would add scrutiny, given his public profile and politics.
Paramount executives have talked about seeking an equity investment from Elon Musk as they close their deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, according to a Semafor report.
Larry Ellison personally agreed to backstop over $40 billion in equity financing for the deal. A group of Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds led by Saudi Arabia joined as investors.
Those funds will hold a combined stake of just under 50% in the merged company. Paramount declined to comment on the report.
Musk is one of several wealthy people Paramount, led by CEO David Ellison, has considered approaching. Larry Ellison and Musk are friendly, with Ellison investing $1 billion in Musk's Twitter takeover in 2022.
Paramount settled an antitrust lawsuit with a dozen state attorneys general on September 21. The deal is expected to close in about two weeks, pending a judge's approval.
Banks are preparing to sell $49 billion in debt to help fund the takeover.
The merger would reshape major US media, putting CBS News and CNN under one owner. Musk's involvement would add scrutiny, given his public profile and politics.