Paramount Instead of Netflix? The Warner Acquisition Battle Gaining Momentum with 'Trump's Son-in-Law'

The battle for Warner in Hollywood does not seem to be wrapping up easily.

Contrary to recent reports that Netflix is acquiring Warner Brothers, the acquisition process does not appear to be straightforward. According to reports from foreign media on December 9, Warner Brothers is also considering the acquisition proposed by Paramount Skydance. It is reported that Paramount Skydance offered $30 per share. The previous acquisition offer from Netflix to Warner Brothers was $27.75 per share.

In particular, a variable in this acquisition battle is the private equity fund operated by Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law, which is among the companies financing Paramount Skydance. In fact, the U.S. government has hinted at a warning message, stating that it will closely examine whether Netflix's acquisition of Warner Brothers violates antitrust laws. Trump himself has mentioned in public that "Netflix already has too high a market share."

Currently, Netflix seems to be trying to mitigate the backlash from the film industry and has stated that even if it acquires Warner Brothers, it will maintain the theatrical release model and will not withdraw Warner Brothers' works from other OTT platforms. However, Paramount Skydance has also set a condition to release more than 30 films annually in theaters after the acquisition, indicating that the acquisition battle between the two sides is likely to intensify.