Gulf Funds Agree to Back Paramount's $81 Billion Takeover of Warner [View all]

Source: The Wall Street Journal.

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Gulf Funds Agree to Back Paramount's $81 Billion Takeover of Warner

Commitments from Middle East entities will help offset costs for Ellison family

By Jessica Toonkel and Lauren Thomas
Updated April 6, 2026 6:12 am ET


Paramount defeated Netflix to acquire Warner. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Paramount has received signed equity commitments of close to $24 billion from three sovereign-wealth funds led by Saudi Arabia to help back its takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, according to people familiar with the matter.

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has agreed to provide roughly $10 billion of the nearly $24 billion to Paramount, run by David Ellison, the son of billionaire Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison.

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Read more: https://www.wsj.com/business/deals/three-gulf-funds-agree-to-back-paramounts-81-billion-takeover-of-warner-04eda364

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"He may be the ruler of Saudi Arabia, but he knows how to have fun too. We guarantee he'll slay you! A look at the lighter side of Mohammed bin Salman, tonight on '60 Minutes'."

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Exclusive: Paramount has received signed equity commitments of close to $24 billion from three sovereign-wealth funds led by Saudi Arabia to help back its takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery.

Gulf Funds Agree to Back Paramount's $81 Billion Takeover of Warner
Commitments from three Middle East entities will help offset costs for the Ellison family.
on.wsj.com
6:34 AM · Apr 6, 2026
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Exclusive: Paramount has received signed equity commitments of close to billion from three sovereign-wealth funds led by Saudi Arabia to help back its takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery.

— The Wall Street Journal (@wsj.com) 2026-04-06T10:34:47.132555Z