Paramount's Hostile Warner Bros. Bid Draws Billionaires, Banks, Gulf Wealth

• Paramount Skydance launched a hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, backed by an unusual coalition of financiers including US banks, Gulf sovereign funds, and Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners.
• The bid includes a $54 billion bridge loan and $40.7 billion in equity, with investors agreeing to forgo governance rights to ease regulatory scrutiny.
• Paramount's offer is $30 per share in cash for all of Warner Bros., contrasting with Netflix's $27.75 cash-and-stock deal for only the studios and streaming division.
• Key financial backers include Bank of America, Citigroup, Apollo Global Management, Saudi Arabia’s PIF, Qatar Investment Authority, and Larry Ellison.
• The high-profile group of investors has drawn attention, partly due to some members' ties to former President Donald Trump.

Why It Matters: Global billionaires and political figures are battling for control of a major media empire.