The merger between Paramount and Warner Brothers Discovery is set to be finalized on October 6. According to Variety, the official name will be Skydance, the name of David Ellison's original film production company, Skydance Media.Ellison will be Skydance's Chairman and CEO. Former Mattel CEO, Ynon Kreiz will join the company on October 5 as co-CEO. Ellison posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) to formally announce the Skydance name.In a lengthy post, Ellison wrote, "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. 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. 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," Ellison explained.The merger faced several big hurdles, including a lawsuit by several states to stop Paramount from acquiring the Warner Bros. portion of Warner Bros. Discovery. On September 21, it was reported that Paramount settled with those states.It is unclear how the merger will affect AEW. However, Tony Khan has maintained a positive outlook, citing his relationship with Ellison and working with him through the NFL. He recently spoke about it when going live on X.
