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One Battle After Another and Sinners are two films set for big wins at the Oscars this weekend – but with the studio behind them potentially facing a huge takeover, industry experts say this is a time of great uncertainty in Hollywood.
Warner Brothers has 30 Oscar nominations in total, more than any of its rivals – and mainly thanks to these two films, with period vampire horror Sinners alone picking up a record-breaking 16 nods.
But after a century of filmmaking influence, the studio is poised for a takeover so vast it could reshape Hollywood’s structure, power dynamics, and even creative output.
The Paramount Skydance deal, struck for an eye-watering $110bn, subject to reviews, would bring together two of the city’s five legacy studios.
Many in the industry are now looking to what happens after the Oscars ceremony.
“This is a very exciting time for Warner Brothers,” says Brian Welk, senior business reporter for entertainment site IndieWire. “They are most likely going to win best picture with one of their two films, and yet we don’t know the future of what the film people in charge will be able to do moving forward, or will they still be around or still have that same autonomy?”
Paramount, led by billionaire Larry Ellison’s son, David, has political connections to Donald Trump’s administration. The deal is still subject to approval from regulators, and both Democrats and Republicans have raised concerns it could result in higher prices and fewer choices for customers.
David Ellison at the Top Gun Maverick UK premiere in London in 2022. Pic: AP/ Alberto Pezzali
Cinema operators have also said combining large Hollywood studios could cost jobs and reduce the number of films released in theatres.
“These are two very…
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