Warner Bros. Bidding War Set to Make CEO David Zaslav a Billionaire

A fierce corporate battle for Warner Bros. Discovery is creating staggering fortunes. The media giant is at the center of a multi-billion dollar takeover fight. CEO David Zaslav is poised for a historic personal windfall from the sale.

According to financial reports, competing bids have skyrocketed the company’s value. This sudden surge is set to unlock hundreds of millions in stock options for its top executives and largest shareholders overnight.

Zaslav’s Massive Compensation Package Triggers Payout

David Zaslav’s contract holds a crucial clause. It grants him over 23 million stock options. All these options vest immediately if the company is sold.

Netflix‘s initial $72 billion offer began translating those options into real wealth. Paramount’s subsequent $108 billion hostile bid increased the value dramatically. At the higher offer price, Zaslav’s options are worth nearly $460 million alone.

This is just part of his total compensation. The deal also accelerates vesting for millions of restricted stock units. Combined with his existing shares, Zaslav’s total payout approaches $700 million. After taxes, this will likely push his net worth past the billion-dollar mark.

Architect and Largest Shareholder See Billions Return

Media mogul John Malone, the strategic architect behind Warner Bros. Discovery, also gains massively. He holds roughly 18 million shares directly. These shares plummeted in value during the company’s recent struggles.

The current bidding war has reversed those losses completely. Malone’s stake is now worth between $500 and $540 million based on the competing offers. Every dollar added to the final sale price means millions more for him.

The Newhouse family, the company’s largest single shareholder, has a more bittersweet outcome. They sold half their stake for $1.1 billion just months before the bidding war erupted. That timing cost them nearly $2 billion in potential gains.

The intense bidding for Warner Bros. Discovery demonstrates the volatile nature of media valuations. For key insiders like David Zaslav, this corporate clash is transforming paper losses into an unprecedented billionaire-making event.

Dropping this nugget your way

Who is bidding for Warner Bros. Discovery?

Netflix made the first agreement to buy studio assets for $72 billion. Paramount Skydance then launched a hostile $108 billion all-cash bid for the entire company. This started a major corporate bidding war.

How much is David Zaslav getting from the sale?

His total payout from accelerated options, stock units, and owned shares approaches $700 million. This windfall is expected to make him a billionaire after accounting for taxes on the gains.

Why did the Newhouse family lose money?

They sold 100 million shares in June 2025 for about $11 each. Just four months later, those same shares were worth $30 each under the Paramount bid. That early sale cost them roughly $2 billion.

What was Warner Bros. Discovery’s stock price before the bids?

The stock was languishing around $11 per share for much of 2024. The competing takeover offers valued it at $27.75 and $30 per share, creating an instant, massive surge in value.

How did John Malone benefit from the deal?

Malone’s direct stake of 18 million shares recovered hundreds of millions in value. His shares are now worth between $500 and $540 million, reversing severe paper losses from the prior year’s stock crash.