One streaming service to rule them all. We’re not quite there yet, but it certainly feels like it at times. Now that Skydance has Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount under one roof, the mega-conglomerate has announced plans to launch Paramount+ and HBO Max as a new bundled streaming service.
“Starting in early 2027, consumers will be able to subscribe to both world-class streaming services at an even greater value,” the company said Monday in a letter to shareholders. “We look forward to sharing more details on the bundle and our streaming roadmap in the coming months.“
So, subscribers will be able to watch shows like House of the Dragon, The White Lotus, Lanterns, Yellowstone, Tulsa King, MobLand, and the entire Star Trek franchise in one package. As for specifics on pricing, packaging options, and streaming strategy, we should expect to hear more over the coming months.
Skydance is also looking to cut costs, and the combination of the Paramount+ and HBO Max streaming services will help it do so. “[Skydance] expect to achieve at least $6 billion in run-rate synergies, net of reinvestment across our cost structure within three years,” company executives said, “[and] by combining two global streaming services, two film and TV studio groups, two television portfolios, and overlapping corporate functions, we can reduce duplicative spend across an expense base of more than $50 billion.“
In under two years, Skydance has grown into one of the biggest media companies in America thanks to its acquisitions of Paramount and Warner Bros., and CEO David Ellison has big plans.
“We have big goals for Skydance, and we intend to pursue them with passion, imagination and a willingness to take smart risks,” he said. “At the same time, we will honor what makes Paramount and Warner Bros. special — giving both studios the opportunity to grow, tell more great stories and bring those stories to even broader audiences around the world, powered by the scale and capabilities of Skydance.“
It’s still too early to tell exactly what the future will bring, but the studio has been making some big movies, including recently booting James Gunn and Peter Safran as the heads of DC Studios.