Bill Maher Sends a Message to New Skydance Bosses Ahead of Merger Closing – and It’s About Trump

Bill Maher cautioned his new Skydance executives not to take Donald Trump's words at face value regarding him, as he prepared for the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger to finalize. During his show "Real Time With Bill Maher," Maher pondered his future ownership under the merged entity, which would come under the name Skydance. In his Friday reflection, Maher sought assurance from the new owners to disregard Trump's recent tweets, emphasizing that he did not want their judgments influenced by the president's comments.

Maher dismissed Trump's assertion about his ratings being low, stating that he was unbothered by such criticisms and urged the public to do the same, while advising against mentioning his attendance at Cornell University. As for the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, recent developments include Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín's approval of a $110 billion settlement with 12 state attorneys general, placing the deal on track to be completed by next week.

Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz has joined David Ellison in co-CEO role, while CNN CEO Mark Thompson will remain with the newly formed corporation. Warner film executives Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy have resigned from their positions. The new merged brand, Skydance, aims to carry forward the iconic legacies of both studios while providing a fresh platform for quality storytelling.