David Ellison Finally Calls Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy to Inform Them of Exit They Read About in the Press | Exclusive

On Friday, Warner Bros executives Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy received a phone call confirming what they had read in an anonymous report the previous night. The call came from Skydance CEO David Ellison, informing them that they would no longer be joining the newly merged Warner-Paramount studio. De Luca and Abdy, who had helmed Warner Bros to success earlier this year with "One Battle After Another" winning Best Picture and "Sinners" taking Best Actor, were a surprise to the press and public, who had been buzzing about their potential exit based on the unverified report.

The executives were left stranded in the news cycle, growing increasingly frustrated by the lack of transparency in their exit. Warner Bros chiefs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy had taken significant risks and produced great films during their tenure, but their exit has been seen as a setback for the industry. They were told that the merged companies faced substantial debt, estimated at around $80 billion, and needed to restructure to meet their obligations.

Their film slates are now being handled by their deputies Jesse Ehrman and Mike Ireland, with Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg leading the merged film studios. Both executives expressed their disappointment with the way their exit was handled, with Abdy particularly critical of the treatment. The combined entity is expected to carry significant debt, a fact well-known to industry observers.

As Warner Bros moves forward with its new slate of likely blockbusters, including "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum," "The Batman Part II," "Gremlins 3," and "A Minecraft Movie Squared," De Luca and Abdy's contributions to the studio's success earlier this year will be remembered. However, their exit comes at a challenging time for the studio, with 2026 seeing underwhelming results from movies like "Supergirl" and "The Bride!".

The reported decision precedes an expected underwhelming domestic opening for Tom Cruise's film, "Digger," which is predicted to bring in between $12 million and $15 million. Neither De Luca nor Abdy commented for this story, and Paramount/Skydance declined to provide a statement. The executives are expected to have their last day when the merger is completed on Tuesday.