Amid uncertainty, Lionsgate CEO presses to fast-track the Paramount-Warner deal
Lionsgate’s top brass wants the Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery merger buttoned up fast — and they’re making that preference crystal clear.
On Lionsgate ’s quarterly earnings call, CEO Jon Feltheimer pressed for a swift decision on the proposed tie-up between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, arguing that months of limbo are freezing up real deals. He framed a combined, better-capitalized streamer as a stronger buyer for libraries and new shows — the kind of steady customer an independent studio wants when it ’s selling both movies and TV.
“I’d say this, uncertainty is the worst thing for our business, and uncertainty and delay are not good for anybody,”
Feltheimer said that in practical terms, a deeper-pocketed platform helps everyone make and release more. “I would say for us, a better-financed streamer, a competitive streamer, will be better for us,” he added on the call (transcript via Investing.com), noting that Lionsgate treats both sides as key distribution partners, not just theatrical rivals.
Even with the merger in regulatory review, Lionsgate told investors it has already licensed a new television series to the two companies. The message: business is happening, but it would move faster with clarity on who’s writing the bigger checks.
Inside Lionsgate’s pitch
- Jon Feltheimer — Pushed for a quick resolution, saying a combined streamer would be a stronger, more reliable buyer for Lionsgate’s library and originals.
- Adam Fogelson (Motion Picture Group Chairman) — Said Lionsgate is in active talks to co-finance feature films with both Paramount and HBO , and argued that a broader theatrical slate lifts the whole box office.
- Kevin Beggs (Television Group Chairman) — Said buying has picked back up among “legacy” outlets like Paramount and HBO, pointing to the action‑ thriller series Trauma , a joint venture with Paramount and Prime Video, as proof that collaborations are getting done.
“I guess I would say I’m in favor of this transaction, but most importantly, I’m in favor of certainty and getting all of the delay out of it,”
Fogelson said on the same call (transcript via Investing.com), adding that expanding theatrical releases — even while competing with the majors — ultimately strengthens the release calendar for everyone.
Beggs underscored that TV buyers like Paramount and HBO are back in the market, with Trauma as a recent example of how studios are partnering across platforms while the merger review plays out.