Larry Ellison Issues Personal Guarantee for Paramount’s Warner Bros. Bid

Guarantee aims to allay Warner Bros. Discovery board’s financing worries

In a decisive move to strengthen Paramount Global’s proposal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, Oracle co‑founder Larry Ellison has pledged a personal guarantee that covers any shortfall in the deal’s funding. The assurance comes after the Warner Bros. Discovery board voiced concerns that Paramount’s original offer lacked sufficient financial backing.

Ellison’s commitment is intended to provide the board with “the confidence that the transaction can be completed without jeopardizing existing operations,” according to sources familiar with the negotiations. By putting his own assets on the line, Ellison seeks to demonstrate that Paramount’s bid is both serious and financially sound.

The personal guarantee is expected to address the board’s primary objections, which centered on the risk of a cash‑flow gap and the potential impact on Warner Bros. Discovery’s ongoing projects. Industry analysts say the move could tip the scales in Paramount’s favor, especially as other suitors have yet to match this level of commitment.

While the guarantee strengthens Paramount’s position, it also raises questions about the broader implications of a high‑profile tech billionaire directly supporting a major media merger. Observers note that Ellison’s involvement could signal a growing trend of technology leaders influencing the entertainment sector’s consolidation landscape.

Warner Bros. Discovery’s board is slated to reconvene next week to vote on the revised offer. If approved, the deal would create one of the largest entertainment conglomerates in the world, reshaping the competitive dynamics of streaming, film production, and television distribution.