Paramount And Warner Bros. Will Become Skydance. David Ellison Is Keeping Both Studio Brands.

The company created by Paramount Skydance’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery will be called Skydance, giving David Ellison’s media empire a new corporate identity while keeping the Paramount and Warner Bros. studio names in place.

Paramount Skydance said Friday that it plans to amend its certificate of incorporation and formally change its name to Skydance Corporation when the merger closes on Oct. 6. The company also intends to move its Class B shares from Nasdaq to the New York Stock Exchange and change its ticker from PSKY to SKYD, according to an SEC filing.

Ellison said the choice was intended to give the combined business an identity of its own without pushing the two historic studio brands into the background. He described the new company as a “creative-first home for bold, quality storytelling” and said Paramount and Warner Bros. would retain their distinct identities.

The name comes from the production company Ellison built before taking control of Paramount. According to Skydance Media, the company was founded in 2010, and its name was inspired by Ellison’s interest in aviation. An accomplished pilot, he drew on the term “skydancing,” used for aerobatic flying.

That company went on to work with Paramount on major film franchises before becoming part of the transaction that created Paramount Skydance in 2025. The Skydance name will now move from Ellison’s original production business to the top of a much larger media group spanning film, television, streaming and news.

The corporate rename comes just days before Paramount Skydance expects to complete its Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition. Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery said earlier this week that the merger is expected to close Oct. 6, subject to customary closing conditions. Under the deal, Warner Bros. Discovery will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Paramount Skydance.

The merger agreement was signed Feb. 27. Public filings show Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders will receive cash consideration under the transaction, while the combined company will remain controlled through Paramount Skydance’s existing corporate structure.

The leadership structure is also taking shape ahead of the closing. Paramount announced this week that former Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz will become co-CEO of the combined company alongside Ellison. Kreiz is set to join Paramount on Oct. 5 and will also become a member of the board when the merger closes.

Under the arrangement, Ellison will remain chairman and CEO and concentrate on long-term strategy, creative direction, technology, talent relationships, strategic partnerships and capital allocation. Kreiz will focus on day-to-day management and the integration of the two businesses, according to Paramount.

The appointment adds an experienced media executive to the leadership team as Paramount and Warner Bros. bring together businesses that include Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros., CBS, HBO, CNN, Paramount+ and other entertainment and media properties.

The merger has already cleared the regulatory approvals required under the agreement. Paramount said in August that authorities in nearly 70 jurisdictions had cleared the transaction, including regulators in the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Brazil and China.

The companies also resolved a challenge brought by a group of U.S. states before setting the Oct. 6 closing date. An SEC filing disclosed that Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery entered into a consent decree on Sept. 21 with California and 11 other states that had challenged the transaction.

Some organizational details are still being prepared ahead of the formal combination. CNN reported that Ellison is expected to hold a town hall and meetings in Los Angeles and New York next week, while additional leadership announcements could come around the closing.

Once the transaction takes effect Tuesday, Skydance Corporation will become the corporate name sitting above both Paramount and Warner Bros., while Ellison and Kreiz begin running the newly combined operation.