RedBird adds $4 billion to Skydance-Paramount merger, boosting Warner Bros. takeover

RedBird Capital Partners has injected an additional $4 billion in equity financing, bringing its total investment in the Skydance-Paramount combination to $6 billion, according to a source familiar with the transaction. This infusion solidifies RedBird’s role as one of two principal investors controlling Paramount’s voting stock, together with the Ellison family. The merger, finalized by David Ellison’s Paramount, completes a $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros.

Discovery, merging two historic studios, a vast portfolio of television networks, streaming platforms and news outlets into a single media powerhouse. The deal was initially supported by roughly $47 billion from Oracle founder Larry Ellison and RedBird, later expanded to include the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, Qatar Investment Authority and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. Gerry Cardinale, RedBird’s founder, described the transaction as a pivotal moment for an industry undergoing rapid change.

Co-CEOs David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz now face the task of servicing more than $80 billion in debt incurred by the merger. RedBird’s broader media and sports investments include Artists Equity, Banijay, Mari, EverPass Media and several sports-focused ventures.