Ellison Thanks Staff After WBD Shareholders Greenlight Paramount Merger as Scream 7 Tops $200M

Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approved the acquisition by Paramount, moving the merger closer to completion. Paramount CEO David Ellison thanked employees, highlighting their performance and the box office success of *Scream 7*.

Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders voted to approve the company's acquisition by Paramount in a special meeting on Thursday morning. This decision marks a significant step towards forming a new, combined media entity. The proposed merger aims to create a stronger competitor in the evolving global entertainment landscape, which includes a competitive market for streaming services, film distribution, and content production. Paramount CEO David Ellison subsequently addressed employees, expressing gratitude and acknowledging recent company achievements following the crucial vote.

Ellison thanked shareholders, citing their trust and confidence in the plan to merge the companies into a next-generation media entity serving creators and consumers globally. This shareholder approval now moves the proposed merger forward for further stages of review. In an internal memo, Ellison specifically highlighted Paramount's strong content performance across its portfolio. For example, *Scream 7* has grossed over $200 million worldwide. This financial milestone establishes it as the highest-grossing installment in the franchise's 30-year history, demonstrating significant audience engagement for a recent studio production. Such successful releases contribute to the operational strength cited by Ellison as the merger proceeds through its various stages.

The shareholder vote reflects investor belief in the strategic vision for the combined entity. This merger aims to consolidate extensive content libraries, production capabilities, and global distribution channels. This move seeks to enhance scale and efficiency in a competitive media environment, potentially strengthening market position against other global players like Netflix and Disney. While a key hurdle has been cleared with shareholder consent, the deal still requires securing necessary regulatory approvals from various jurisdictions worldwide. Observers will monitor this next phase, along with any further statements regarding the integration strategy of the two media giants and their combined impact on the industry's future direction.