David Ellison’s Hollywood profession has been outlined by high-octane blockbusters full of suspense, stunts and inconceivable plot twists.
But on Sunday he landed his greatest cliffhanger but, hanging a deal to merge with Paramount after months of negotiations with the corporate and its controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone. If the deal closes, he can be answerable for a sprawling media empire that features CBS, MTV and the Paramount film studio.
Though Mr. Ellison, 41, joined the solid of Hollywood’s energy gamers greater than a decade in the past, he hasn’t taken middle stage till now. Here’s a take a look at his profession.
Who is David Ellison, and what’s his firm, Skydance?
A fast perusal of Mr. Ellison’s web page on the Internet Movie Database exhibits a comparatively undistinguished performing profession, with minor roles in movies just like the fighter drama “Flyboys” and teenage comedy “The Chumscrubber” (through which he performed “Student No. 1”). It wasn’t till he turned a producer that his star in Hollywood started to rise.
After he dropped out of the University of Southern California and gave up on performing, Mr. Ellison turned to producing. His household’s appreciable affect — he’s the son of the Oracle founder Larry Ellison — helped him bankroll big-budget movies like “Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol” and “Star Trek Into Darkness.”
Along the way in which, the valuation of Mr. Ellison’s firm Skydance Media ballooned to greater than $4 billion, after private-equity corporations like RedBird Capital Partners and KKR invested in it. Mr. Ellison, the chief govt of Skydance, has co-produced hits like “Top Gun: Maverick” and “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” with Paramount, giving him an entree to the corporate’s executives and its most dear franchises.
Long earlier than he produced “Top Gun: Maverick,” Mr. Ellison was one thing of a daredevil himself. In 2022 he instructed The New York Times that he began flying planes in his adolescence and competed in acrobatic air exhibits into his 20s.
How is Mr. Ellison’s household concerned in Hollywood?
Larry Ellison — who had a cameo in “Iron Man 2” — is personally backing Skydance’s bid for Paramount, throwing his wealth and tech experience behind the deal.
David Ellison’s sister, Megan Ellison, can be a Hollywood fixture: In 2011, she based Annapurna, which produced “Her” and “American Hustle.” Mr. Ellison’s spouse, Sandra Lynn, can be in showbusiness: She’s the nation singer-songwriter behind songs like “I Think of You” and “Somebody Kissed Me at a Bar.” Neither Megan Ellison nor Sandra Lynn are on Skydance’s govt workforce.
What are David Ellison’s plans for Paramount?
Though Mr. Ellison hasn’t laid out his plans for Paramount publicly, he mentioned them with a particular committee of the corporate’s board months in the past. He has mentioned working with one other main leisure firm on a streaming three way partnership within the United States, maintaining with the broader development towards bundling, in line with two individuals aware of his pitch to Paramount’s board.
Paramount’s controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone, is captivated with different elements of the Skydance deal, two individuals aware of her considering stated. She thinks Mr. Ellison’s administration workforce will add tech and animation know-how to the mixed firm.
Mr. Ellison additionally pitched Paramount on a plan to supercharge the corporate’s streaming capabilities with improved suggestions and extra environment friendly offers with information suppliers, an individual aware of his presentation stated. Skydance has possession stakes in Paramount’s most financially profitable exhibits and flicks, together with “Mission: Impossible” and “Top Gun,” so uniting the 2 corporations might give the mixed firm better flexibility in managing its franchises.
A key govt in discussions with Skydance is Jeff Shell, the previous chief govt of NBCUniversal. Mr. Shell, who joined the Skydance backer RedBird Capital final 12 months, is in line for a significant working function at Paramount, in line with two individuals aware of the matter.
Does Skydance have ties to different Hollywood firms?
Though Skydance has a deep relationship with Paramount, it has additionally produced motion pictures for different Hollywood studios. Skydance has a multiyear deal to supply animated movies for Netflix, and it has partnered with Amazon on movies together with “The Tomorrow War” and “Without Remorse.”
Skydance has additionally currently gotten into the sports-media enterprise. Skydance Sports, a division began in 2021, struck a deal in 2022 to associate with the National Football League to create a manufacturing firm that might broaden the attain of sports activities programming. And final 12 months it produced “Air,” a film concerning the making of Nike’s Air Jordan model.
Lauren Hirsch contributed reporting.
