Gulf Sovereign Funds Fuel Paramount-Skydance's $110B Warner Bros. Discovery Bid

• Sovereign wealth funds from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi are investing $24 billion in Paramount-Skydance's $110 billion bid for Warner Bros. Discovery.
• Paramount's revised $31-per-share offer was deemed superior to Netflix's earlier $27.75-per-share bid, leading Netflix to withdraw its proposal.
• The Gulf investors will not receive governance rights like board seats or voting rights, thus avoiding US regulatory approval from CFIUS.
• Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos criticized the involvement of Gulf investors, raising concerns about the First Amendment and potential editorial control.
• The proposed merger, combining major assets like HBO, CNN, and CBS, is expected to close in Q3 2026 and faces antitrust scrutiny.