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In Paramount Takeover Effort, Silicon Valley And Hollywood Worlds Collide

Reuters | by Dawn Chmielewski

David Ellison, 41, would not be the first rich guy to arrive in Hollywood with a fat bank account and dreams of making movies, though the son of billionaire Oracle founder Larry Ellison boasts the rarest of attributes for a budding media mogul: a Silicon Valley pedigree. In an industry where many get their start fetching coffee or moving props, Ellison spent summers writing computer code for his father’s software company and getting insights on the movie business from Pixar Animation Studios co-founder Steve Jobs. Those geek sensibilities will come in handy if he succeeds in his bid to take over Paramount Global, a storied studio whose fortunes have been upended by technological change.

David Ellison’s Journey From Trust Fund Kid To Media Mogul Vying To Buy Paramount

Los Angeles Times | by Stacy Perman

Skydance Media CEO David Ellison, son of billionaire Larry Ellison, has emerged as a strong contender to take over the iconic Paramount studios.

David Ellison’s Skydance Media Explores Acquiring All Of Paramount Global

CNBC | by Alex Sherman

David Ellison’s Skydance Media and its financial backers are exploring a deal to take private all of Paramount Global, according to people familiar with the matter. Skydance, the film and TV studio run by Ellison, has exchanged preliminary information with Paramount, said the people, who asked not to be named because the deal talks are private. Full due diligence hasn’t started, they added.

Skydance Backers Explore All-Cash Deal To Gain Control Of Paramount

The Wall Street Journal | by Jessica Toonkel & Miriam Gottfried

CEO David Ellison (pictured), his father, Larry, and other investors are in talks to buy Shari Redstone’s stake in National Amusements, Paramount’s parent. (AP)

Shari Redstone Inches Toward Parting With Paramount

Puck | by Matthew Belloni

Skydance is kicking the tires on the Redstone assets. David Ellison and RedBird’s Gerry Cardinale are taking the lead, but it’s super early, and a potential deal could take several different shapes.

Skydance Media Donates $1M To Support Humanitarian Relief Amid Israel Crisis

The Hollywood Reporter | by Etan Vlessing

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Skydance CEO David Ellison On Strikes: Both Sides ‘Need One Another To Move Forward’

Deadline | by Jill Goldsmith

Skydance Media CEO David Ellison called the creative process a “community” where “both sides of this disagreement actually need one another to move forward. So, my hope is that we can find a path to compromise so that everybody can get back to work and we can position ourselves for success going forward.”

How David Ellison Became A Hollywood High Flier

The New York Times | by Brooks Barnes

When the young Oracle heir entered the entertainment industry, no one expected much. Instead, he’s built the rarest of businesses — a thriving, all-audiences, independent studio, Skydance Media.