December 22, 2025, 3:33 p.mDecember 22, 2025, 3:33 p.m
Tech billionaire Larry Ellison is trying to clear a major obstacle to his family’s bid for Hollywood giant Warner Brothers. The co-founder of the software company Oracle is giving a personal guarantee for a $40.4 billion (€34.3 billion) portion of the total bid worth more than $100 billion.
Oracle CEO and co-founder Larry Ellison.Image: keystone
Warner Bros. Discovery had rejected the offer, citing, among other things, that the guarantee from the Ellison family was not strict enough. Warner decided to accept Netflix’s offer for the studio and streaming business instead.
With the one without TV channels?
The Ellisons are now addressing their offer directly to Warner shareholders. Just a few months ago, the family took over Warner’s competitor Paramount, through which the Warner bid runs. They want to take over Warner Bros. Discovery completely, including the TV channels like CNN.
Larry Ellison is fifth in Bloomberg’s billionaire rankings with an estimated fortune of $246 billion. His son David Ellison is the head of Paramount.
With the $40 billion, Larry Ellison is guaranteeing, among other things, the planned financing contribution from the sovereign wealth funds of Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Qatar. Paramount’s bid totals $108.4 billion. A large part of this should be covered with loans.
Netflix offers almost 83 billion dollars for the studio and streaming business. A crucial question for shareholders will be how the TV channels will be valued in the future.
Trump wants new owner for CNN
The takeover battle also has a political dimension because it involves CNN. US President Donald Trump demanded that if a Warner deal were made, the news channel would also have to change ownership. The US President is often criticized on CNN.
Larry Ellison is known as a Trump supporter. The Paramount broadcaster CBS’s newsroom underwent a remodel after the takeover. The new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss also offered a platform for Erika Kirk, the widow of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, who was killed by an assassin. (sda/awp/dpa)