Skydance CEO Celebrates $111 Billion Merger, Calls Staff Rally ‘Victory Lap’

Skydance’s co‑CEOs David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz marked the close of a $111 billion merger that combined Paramount with Warner Bros. Discovery by sending a memo to staff titled “Getting Here Has Been Quite A Journey.”

In the note, the duo thanked employees for weathering fierce opposition, laid out the company’s next‑phase priorities, and reminded everyone that they had just pulled off a historic Hollywood consolidation.

Ellison’s tone was part pep‑talk, part celebration, joking that the memo felt like a late‑night host who’s just won the lottery: “You’ve all done an amazing job, and now we’re on a new level. Let’s keep the momentum.”

Across the corporate aisle, Warner‑Discovery chairman David Zaslav described the deal as “a little whiplashy,” a phrase that quickly caught on in board‑room meme circles.

The memo’s message was clear: the merger created a massive media conglomerate, and the leadership is counting on its staff to turn that scale into the next wave of blockbuster content.

While the industry watches to see what Skydance will produce next, the company’s leadership has at least secured a standing‑ovation‑worthy rally for its employees.