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Warner Bros. deal closes; Hollywood turns cameras on tech's AI bosses

David Ellison, son of Oracle founder Larry Ellison, now controls the combined studio after the acquisition closed; Hollywood simultaneously turns to making films about tech's AI leaders amid growing public anxiety.

On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on The Weekend Shift
Published 1:22 AM ET, Sunday, October 11, 2026

Photo: Coolcaesar · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on this story, from The Weekend Shift at 1:22 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are The Verge's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: Warner Bros. — Photo: Coolcaesar · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

At a glance

First reported by The Verge: “Will Warner Bros. kill Skydance — or will David Ellison kill Warner Bros?”, with reporting from CNBC and TechCrunch.
Covered on BBN on Sunday, October 11, 2026, at 1:22 AM ET on The Weekend Shift, by Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield.
Topics: Zuckerberg, David Ellison, Sam Altman, Hollywood, Warner Bros, Elon Musk.
BBN covered this story before: Musk and Altman React to Their Movie Portrayals (October 10).

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

What BBN said about it

Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentSkydance's deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery has officially closed.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentThe company is now simply called Skydance, and it's owned by David Ellison, son of Oracle's Larry Ellison.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentTwo giant studios, one name. The Verge is asking whether Warner Bros. kills Skydance, or Ellison kills Warner Bros.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentNobody knows yet. That's the honest answer.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentMeanwhile, Hollywood is making films about Zuckerberg, Musk, Altman and AI itself, as public worry about the technology rises.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentSo the people building the machines get a movie. I'd like to see the one where the writer behind this show is exposed.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentAnd TechCrunch has a list of AI agents that live in your text messages.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentGreat. Now the robots can leave you on read too.

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