Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy are expected to leave Warner Bros. leadership once the $110 billion merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery is completed.
Multiple sources say the Warner Bros. chiefs will not be part of David Ellison’s management team after the transaction closes. The landmark deal is expected to be finalized on Oct. 6, although it remains unclear whether De Luca and Abdy will stay for a transitional period.
The anticipated departures would bring their tenure at the top of Warner Bros. to an end amid a broader restructuring of the combined entertainment businesses.
A New Film Leadership Structure
Paramount film executives Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein are expected to take responsibility for both movie studios. Under the provisions of the deal, each studio will release 30 films annually.
That arrangement would place Goldberg and Greenstein at the center of a large theatrical operation while maintaining separate release slates for the two studios. Details about how the film businesses will operate under the new structure have not been fully confirmed.
De Luca and Abdy’s impending exit comes almost exactly one year after Warner Bros. Discovery CEO and president David Zaslav announced that their contracts had been renewed.
The renewals followed major box office performances from Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners,” “A Minecraft Movie” and “Weapons.” Warner Bros. subsequently tied the all-time studio record by earning 11 Academy Awards from an industry-leading 30 nominations. That total included a best picture victory for Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another.”
The studio’s recent commercial and awards results make the looming leadership change especially notable. Despite the contract extensions and Warner Bros.’ run of successes, De Luca and Abdy are not expected to continue as members of Ellison’s post-merger executive team.
Ellison’s Wider Management Plan
Ellison has not yet disclosed the full leadership lineup for the combined organization, leaving several important positions unresolved as the closing date approaches.
Cindy Holland has exited her position as Paramount+’s head of streaming, but the company has not confirmed whether Casey Bloys will move into the top streaming role within the new corporate structure.
One senior appointment has been established: Ellison tapped former Mattel CEO Ynon Kriez to serve as co-CEO. Kriez is set to oversee day-to-day operations and the integration of the combined businesses.
That integration will encompass two major movie studios, their planned annual release schedules and the wider streaming and corporate operations affected by the merger.
What Happens Next?
The immediate focus is the expected Oct. 6 completion of the Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery deal. Goldberg and Greenstein are reported to be in line to oversee the film studios, while Kriez will manage daily operations and integration as co-CEO.
Questions remain over whether De Luca and Abdy will assist during a transition and who will ultimately lead streaming across the combined company. Ellison’s complete management structure is still to be confirmed.