Brief
David Zaslav earns $600 million from Paramount‑Skydance acquisition
Zaslav’s payout came largely from stock options as Warner Bros. Discovery merged into the new Skydance Corp.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Former Warner Bros. Discovery president and CEO David Zaslav received roughly $600 million from the sale of the business to Paramount Skydance Corp., Bloomberg reported on Oct. 9, 2026. Most of the compensation was in stock options, and Warner Bros. shareholders were paid $31 per share in cash, a near‑25% rise since the stock began trading in April 2022.
The Standard & Poor’s 500 index has risen 76% over that period. Other senior executives, including streaming head JB Perrette and strategy chief Bruce Campbell, also earned sizable paydays. A company spokesperson said Zaslav doubled the number of employees who received stock awards.
The merged entity, now called Skydance Corp. and led by technology heir David Ellison, combines the historic Paramount and Warner Bros. studios with dozens of TV networks and streaming services such as Paramount+ and HBO Max.
Key facts
- David Zaslav earned about $600 million from the sale. (latimes.com)
- Warner Bros. shareholders received $31 per share in cash. (latimes.com)
- The S&P 500 index rose 76% since April 2022. (latimes.com)
- Other executives like JB Perrette and Bruce Campbell received large payouts. (latimes.com)
- The new company is called Skydance Corp. and is led by David Ellison. (latimes.com)
Sources
- [1] latimes.com — originally reported as “Ex-Warner Bros. CEO pockets $600 million in sale to Paramount”
