David Ellison has chosen the name for Paramount-Warner Bros. once the merger is complete: Skydance.
“Paramount and Warner Bros. shaped over a century of culture. By combining them, we aren’t rewriting history — we’re equipping these iconic studios with a more powerful engine,” he shared Friday morning. “Together, we are Skydance: a creative-first home for bold, quality storytelling.”
“We chose this name for a few important reasons. First and foremost, as we bring Paramount and Warner Bros. together, we wanted to preserve what has made each of these studios iconic. Both have distinct identities, extraordinary legacies and brands that have resonated with audiences for generations,” Ellison continued in his X post. “We never wanted a new corporate identity to diminish, alter or overshadow either one. Instead, we wanted a name that would give the combined company an identity of its own while allowing Paramount and Warner Bros. — and all our extraordinary brands — to remain in the spotlight.”
Additionally, the ticker symbol will now change from PSKY to SKYD starting Tuesday, per a Friday SEC filing. The CEO’s announcement also featured a video montage of the companies’ most famous movies, shows and properties, further highlighting DC, HBO Max, Nickelodeon, CBS, Paramount+ and CNN as brands under the Skydance umbrella.
“We have big goals for Skydance, and we intend to pursue them with passion, imagination and a willingness to take smart risks,” Ellison concluded. “At the same time, we will honor what makes Paramount and Warner Bros. special — giving both studios the opportunity to grow, tell more great stories and bring those stories to even broader audiences around the world, powered by the scale and capabilities of Skydance.”
The update comes as the $110 billion Paramount-WBD merger is set to close next week after settling the antitrust lawsuit with California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 11 other state AGs. It had previously cleared its other regulatory hurdles, both domestic and international.
While the deal isn’t officially closed just yet, Ellison has already started shaking up the combined company’s leadership team, tapping HBO CEO Casey Bloys to run Paramount+ and HBO Max, with Paramount Streaming head Cindy Holland exiting on Tuesday. Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz will also join as co-CEO, while WB film chiefs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy are now expected to depart.
Ellison founded his initial Skydance Productions media production and financing company in 2006, before changing the name to Skydance Media in 2020 and then becoming Paramount Skydance Corporation once they merged with Paramount Global and National Amusements last year.
