Hollywood Power Play: Ellison Courts Europe in Warner Bros. Takeover

David Ellison is traveling across Europe to push his $108.4 billion bid to take over Warner Bros. Discovery. He is meeting with politicians and film industry leaders to gather support and challenge Netflix, which is also trying to acquire the studio. Regulators in both Europe and the U.S. are carefully reviewing the deals.

This week, Ellison visited Paris with his team. They met with President Emmanuel Macron, culture minister Rachida Dati, and top film executives including Gaetan Bruel from the National Film Board, Gaumont CEO Sidonie Dumas, Richard Patry of the French Exhibition Association, and Victor Hadida of Metropolitan Filmexport. Bloomberg reported Ellison’s visit to the Elysée Palace.

Paramount executives have also met leaders in Germany and the U.K. In London, Ellison spoke with Lisa Nandy, the secretary of state for culture, media, and sport. His team also held talks with officials at the European Commission.

At the same time, a Delaware court blocked Paramount Skydance’s effort to fast-track a lawsuit against Warner Bros. Discovery. The lawsuit aimed to force Warner to reveal financial details about its $83 billion deal with Netflix. Because of the ruling, Ellison’s $30-per-share bid will continue without an accelerated process. The offer is set to expire on January 21, a date chosen by Paramount Skydance.

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos visited France last month for the premiere of “Emily in Paris” Season 4. While there, he met industry leaders, spoke with President Macron, attended Canal+ Group events, and pledged to keep Warner Bros. films in theaters. The next day, Sarandos and Netflix COO Greg Peters visited Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav in Burbank to show that their deal was finalized.

French film insiders were surprised by rumors that Netflix planned a 17-day theatrical window for Warner Bros. movies. France requires a four-month exclusive cinema window, and streaming platforms must wait 15 months before releasing new films. Netflix has challenged these rules and filed an appeal with France’s Council of State.

During his meetings in Paris, Ellison emphasized his support for theaters. An industry source told Variety, “I was impressed by David Ellison’s determination to try to buy Warner. His arguments are strong. He explained his strategy to us: he is betting everything on keeping both studios, respecting media chronology and windows in France and other countries, and maintaining a high level of production at Paramount and Warner.”

Another source noted that Ellison’s efforts could make a difference. “We’re hearing that the deal with Netflix is being heavily scrutinized in the U.S. and we think it’s going to hit a wall with the European anti-trust regulators,” the source said. “Ellison made it crystal clear that seeing Warner selling to Paramount Skydance rather than Netflix would be a much happier outcome for the film industry.”

The future of Warner Bros. is a major concern for European movie theaters, which have faced lower attendance in 2025. Warner is not just known for big blockbusters, but also for producing films that appeal to European audiences.

Ellison’s push shows how high the stakes are in this battle for Warner Bros. Discovery. The outcome will affect not just Hollywood, but theaters and audiences worldwide. What do you think about this takeover fight? Share your thoughts in the comments.