David Ellison has settled the corporate identity question before the deal closes. The company that will combine Paramount, Warner Bros. and HBO under one owner will be called Skydance—the same name Ellison chose for his studio 20 years ago.
In a memo reported by Variety, Ellison framed the decision as a deliberate brand-architecture call. The studio names were not meant to disappear. “We never wanted a new corporate identity to diminish, alter or overshadow either one,” he wrote, with Skydance acting as the parent rather than a replacement for the labels.
The leadership map is bigger than the name
The corporate naming may be settled, but the operating structure is still moving. Variety reported that Paramount Pictures leaders Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein will be elevated to a broad creative role overseeing film labels across both companies, including New Line’s Richard Brener. On streaming, Casey Bloys is the expected head of all Skydance streaming operations after Cindy Holland’s exit from Paramount+, though no announcement has been made.
Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group chiefs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy are out. Insiders told Variety the decision surprised them; one executive said if the pair were surprised, “they’re the only ones.” Their unit delivered heavy losses this year after a strong 2025, and Ellison spoke with both executives Friday on what is thought to be their last day on the Burbank lot.
- Parent brand: Skydance sits above Warner Bros., Paramount and HBO.
- Film oversight: Goldberg and Greenstein step up; De Luca and Abdy exit.
- Streaming: Bloys is the presumptive leader, but the structure is not official.
- Franchise signal: Barbie 2 talks are back on with Margot Robbie and LuckyChap.
Why Barbie 2 becomes the first test
Dealmaking is already active ahead of next week’s formal close. Goldberg and Greenstein have been reaching out to key Warner Bros. talent, including Margot Robbie and LuckyChap, to establish continuity. The Barbie sequel had previously stalled over costs, but the new structure appears to have revived it. One source close to the talks was direct: “There’s no way Barbie 2 doesn’t happen.”
That matters beyond a single franchise. Ellison has named former Mattel CEO Ynon Kriez as co-CEO of the new company, a clear signal that toy- and IP-driven film slates could become a priority. For entertainment buyers and media planners, the immediate practical question is not the name on the building but which executives control slates, budgets and ad-supported streaming inventory.
What to watch next
Do not assume a quick, unified sales motion. The brands stay visible, but the executive layer is being rebuilt. Reconfirm film and streaming contacts as the structure is formalized, track whether individual labels keep their development and sales autonomy, and treat the Barbie sequel talks as an early indicator of franchise strategy under the new Skydance leadership.
Source: Variety
