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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →As of October 7, 2026, Skydance has completed its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), and the combined company is named Skydance. WBD’s major brands—including Warner Bros., HBO, HBO Max, CNN and its cable networks—are part of the combined portfolio. But the closing announcement does not say which brands will keep their names, merge, close or change how they operate.
What changed when the acquisition closed?
Skydance announced on October 6, 2026, that it had completed its acquisition of WBD. WBD shares ceased trading on Nasdaq that day; the combined company, Skydance Corporation, began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker SKYD. Skydance’s closing announcement describes the combined portfolio as spanning two film studios, two global streaming services, television networks, news, sports and a large content library.
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That confirms ownership and inclusion in the portfolio—not that each WBD brand will continue unchanged. The release does not provide a brand-by-brand timetable or say which businesses will be renamed, combined, discontinued or kept operationally independent.
Which WBD brands are included in the combined portfolio?
The closing announcement names Warner Bros., HBO, HBO Max, CNN, TNT Sports, Cartoon Network, MTV, BET, Food Network and HGTV among the portfolio’s brands. It also lists Paramount+, Pluto TV, CBS, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, alongside other assets and franchises. The release describes news operations that include CBS News and CNN, and sports assets that include CBS Sports and TNT Sports.
Being named in the portfolio establishes that these brands are part of the combined company’s assets. It does not establish their future names, leadership arrangements, programming, distribution or consumer-facing availability. The announcement does not answer whether Warner Bros., HBO Max, CNN or Discovery will continue to operate as they do today.
Will HBO Max merge with Paramount+?
The final streaming arrangement is not specified in the closing announcement. It describes two global streaming services but does not identify them by name or set out their apps, branding, content libraries, pricing, bundles or regional availability.
Before closing, Paramount’s February 2026 merger announcement presented combining Paramount+, HBO Max and Pluto TV as a proposed direct-to-consumer strategy and discussed preserving iconic brands with independent creative leadership. That was a pre-close plan, not confirmation of the final post-close service lineup. The earlier announcement should therefore be read as an intention at that time, not as a completed streaming change.
What about WBD’s proposed split into two companies?
WBD’s June 2025 proposal to separate its businesses into a Streaming & Studios company and a Global Networks company is historical, not the current corporate outcome. The proposed Streaming & Studios company would have included Warner Bros., DC Studios, HBO and HBO Max; Global Networks would have included CNN, TNT Sports, Discovery, Discovery+ and Bleacher Report. WBD later said in a filing that it pursued a different path, and the acquisition has since closed. The proposed name Discovery Global should not be treated as the current post-acquisition structure.
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What targets did Skydance announce?
Skydance’s October 2026 closing release set out company targets, not achieved results or evidence of changes to particular brands:
- A minimum of 30 high-quality theatrical films annually.
- More than 180 television shows and series.
- At least $6 billion in run-rate synergies within three years.
The announcement does not connect these targets to specific brand closures, renames or integrations.
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What is still unknown?
The closing announcement establishes the acquisition and the combined portfolio, but it does not provide a brand-by-brand integration plan. Until Skydance announces specific decisions, it is not possible to say whether an individual WBD brand will keep its name, change its service or distribution, merge with another offering, or end.
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