Paramount is controlled by the Ellison family. Since 7 August 2025, Paramount Pictures, CBS, MTV and Paramount+ have belonged to Paramount Skydance, renamed Skydance Corporation in October 2026. Entities controlled by Larry and David Ellison indirectly hold about 77.5% of its voting Class A stock, according to its 2025 Form 10-K.
Update (11 Oct 2026): the ownership figures at the top of this page now come from Skydance Corporation’s filings (Paramount Skydance 2025 Form 10-K; Oct 2026 Form 8-K). The original article below is kept as it was; where its older figures differ, the dated filing figures above apply.
How we source: figures on this page come from the company’s own filings (SEC 10-K, 10-Q, prospectus and earnings releases, or its annual report), with the period stated next to each number; outside estimates appear only labelled, with their source and date. Last refreshed October 2026. Our methodology.
Paramount’s 2025 Form 10-K explains that on 7 August 2025 investors led by entities controlled by Lawrence and David Ellison, with RedBird Capital Partners, bought Paramount Global’s controlling shareholder and merged it with Skydance. Paramount Skydance’s Class A stock carries one vote per share and its Class B stock none; Harbor Lights Entertainment (formerly National Amusements) holds 100% of the Class A, and the Ellison family indirectly holds about 77.5% through Harbor Lights, making it ‘the controlling stockholder of Paramount’. On 6 October 2026 the company, by then renamed Skydance Corporation, completed its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, per its Form 8-K.
The Business Engineer view
Paramount went from Redstone family control to Ellison family control, and then used that backing to buy Warner Bros. Discovery. The voting structure means one family decides the future of CBS, Paramount, HBO and CNN together.
The full story
Ownership
Who Owns Paramount
Key elements and framework breakdown
Key Elements
Products and Services
Paramount Pictures primarily produces, distributes, and markets feature films and television content. The company is known for producing a wide range of movies,
Revenue Streams
Paramount Pictures generates revenue primarily from box office earnings, home entertainment sales, and licensing agreements with streaming platforms and TV netw
Customer Segments
Paramount Pictures' customer base includes moviegoers who attend theaters to watch its films, home entertainment consumers who purchase or rent movies, and view
Distribution Channels
Paramount Pictures distributes its films to theaters through agreements with cinema chains. Home entertainment products are distributed through DVD and Blu-ray
Key Partnerships
Paramount Pictures collaborates with various partners to enhance its content reach and marketing efforts. These partnerships may involve co-productions with oth
Key Resources
Paramount Pictures' key resources include its creative and production teams responsible for developing and producing films and television content. Access to scr
Cost Structure
Paramount Pictures incurs costs related to film production and development, including salaries for actors, directors, and production crews. Marketing and promot
Competitive Advantage
Paramount Pictures' competitive advantage lies in its extensive film library and rich history in the entertainment industry. The company's ability to produce a
Paramount is primarily owned by the Ellison Family and RedBird Capital Partners, which together are the sole holders of Paramount Class A Common Stock, including 100% of the combined company's voting shares—according to the 2025 annual report (Form 10-K), entities controlled by the Ellison Family indirectly hold approximately 77.5% of the Class A common stock through their ownership interest in Harbor Lights Entertainment, Inc. (formerly National Amusements). Paramount is a Media powerhouse comprising many media brands, which generated total revenue of $6.9 billion in the second quarter of 2026, consisting of brands like CBS, Paramount, Nickelodeon, MTV, Paramount+, Pluto TV, and many others.
Updated 7 October 2026: we refreshed 13 figures on this page, now taken from SEC EDGAR filings. Anything we could not check against a current source keeps its original year, so you can see how old it is.
Latest figures · checked 7 October 2026
On 6 October 2026, Skydance Corporation (formerly Paramount Skydance Corporation, NYSE: SKYD) completed its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, creating a combined company named Skydance. SEC EDGAR filings
As of the October 2026 Warner Bros. Discovery closing, the Ellison Family and RedBird Capital Partners are the sole holders of Paramount Class A Common Stock, including 100% of the combined company’s voting shares. SEC EDGAR filings
According to the October 2026 merger filing, entities controlled by the Ellison Family indirectly hold approximately 77.5% of Paramount Skydance’s Class A common stock through Harbor Lights Entertainment (formerly National Amusements). SEC EDGAR filings
Paramount Skydance reported total revenue of $6.9 billion for the second quarter of 2026, compared with $6.8 billion in Q2 2025 for the predecessor company. SEC EDGAR filings
Paramount+ added about 2 million subscribers in the second quarter of 2026, reaching 81.6 million worldwide. SEC EDGAR filings
As of 31 December 2025, Paramount Skydance employed approximately 17,600 full- and part-time employees in 30 countries. SEC EDGAR filings
In February 2026, Paramount Skydance said it expected 2026 total revenue of $30 billion, representing 4% year-over-year growth (company guidance). SEC EDGAR filings
Aspect · Description · Analysis · Examples
Products and Services
Description. Paramount Pictures primarily produces, distributes, and markets feature films and television content. The company is known for producing a wide range of movies, including blockbuster franchises, animated films, and critically acclaimed titles. Paramount also licenses its content for distribution through various platforms and media.
Analysis. Paramount Pictures’ core offerings revolve around the creation and distribution of films and television content. The company has a diverse portfolio, producing everything from big-budget franchises to niche, critically acclaimed films. Licensing agreements extend the reach of its content across multiple platforms, ensuring a broader audience and revenue streams.
Examples. Production and distribution of feature films and television content, diverse portfolio spanning blockbuster franchises to critically acclaimed titles, licensing agreements expanding content reach across multiple platforms, revenue streams from content creation and licensing.
Revenue Streams
Description. Paramount Pictures generates revenue primarily from box office earnings, home entertainment sales, and licensing agreements with streaming platforms and TV networks. Box office earnings come from theatrical releases, while home entertainment includes DVD and Blu-ray sales, digital downloads, and streaming rentals. Licensing agreements provide revenue through content distribution on platforms like Netflix and cable networks.
Analysis. The main sources of revenue for Paramount Pictures include box office earnings from theatrical releases, home entertainment sales through various formats, and licensing agreements with streaming platforms and TV networks. Licensing agreements have become increasingly significant as the digital streaming landscape has expanded. Paramount’s diverse revenue streams provide financial stability.
Examples. Revenue from box office earnings (theatrical releases), home entertainment sales (DVD, Blu-ray, digital downloads, streaming rentals), licensing agreements with streaming platforms and TV networks, diverse revenue sources ensuring financial stability.
Customer Segments
Description. Paramount Pictures’ customer base includes moviegoers who attend theaters to watch its films, home entertainment consumers who purchase or rent movies, and viewers of its content on streaming platforms and cable networks. The company also targets international audiences through global distribution.
Analysis. Customer segments for Paramount Pictures encompass moviegoers who enjoy watching films in theaters, home entertainment consumers who purchase or rent movies for personal viewing, viewers of its content on streaming platforms and cable networks, and international audiences reached through global distribution. Paramount caters to a diverse set of consumers, both domestically and internationally.
Examples. Moviegoers enjoying theatrical releases, home entertainment consumers purchasing or renting movies, viewers of content on streaming platforms and cable networks, international audiences targeted through global distribution, catering to diverse consumers domestically and internationally.
Distribution Channels
Description. Paramount Pictures distributes its films to theaters through agreements with cinema chains. Home entertainment products are distributed through DVD and Blu-ray sales, digital distribution platforms, and streaming services. Licensing agreements with streaming platforms and cable networks extend the reach of its content to a global audience.
Analysis. Distribution channels for Paramount Pictures encompass theatrical releases through cinema chains, home entertainment distribution through DVD and Blu-ray sales, digital distribution platforms, and streaming services. Licensing agreements with streaming platforms and cable networks expand the global reach of its content. Paramount employs a multi-channel approach to maximize distribution.
Examples. Theatrical releases through cinema chains, home entertainment distribution via DVD and Blu-ray sales, digital distribution platforms, and streaming services, licensing agreements with streaming platforms and cable networks expanding global content reach, multi-channel approach ensuring extensive distribution.
Key Partnerships
Description. Paramount Pictures collaborates with various partners to enhance its content reach and marketing efforts. These partnerships may involve co-productions with other studios, licensing agreements with streaming platforms, and marketing partnerships with brands for promotional tie-ins. The company also works with talent agencies and directors to secure top talent for its productions.
Analysis. Collaborations with other studios on co-productions contribute to a diverse content portfolio. Licensing agreements with streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime extend the reach of its content. Marketing partnerships with brands create promotional opportunities. Talent agencies and directors play a crucial role in securing top talent for Paramount’s productions. Partnerships are essential for content and talent acquisition.
Examples. Collaborations with other studios for co-productions diversifying content portfolio, licensing agreements with streaming platforms (Netflix, Amazon Prime) extending content reach, marketing partnerships with brands creating promotional opportunities, collaboration with talent agencies and directors securing top talent for productions, partnerships facilitating content and talent acquisition.
Key Resources
Description. Paramount Pictures’ key resources include its creative and production teams responsible for developing and producing films and television content. Access to scripts, screenplays, and intellectual property is essential. The company’s extensive film library and catalog serve as valuable assets. Physical and digital distribution infrastructure supports content delivery. Marketing and promotional resources enhance brand visibility.
Analysis. Key resources for Paramount Pictures encompass its creative and production teams, responsible for developing and producing films and television content. Access to scripts, screenplays, and intellectual property is crucial for content creation. The company’s extensive film library and catalog serve as valuable assets, offering a source of revenue through re-releases and licensing. Physical and digital distribution infrastructure ensures content delivery. Marketing and promotional resources enhance brand visibility and content promotion.
Examples. Creative and production teams developing films and television content, access to scripts, screenplays, and intellectual property for content creation, extensive film library and catalog as valuable assets for revenue generation, physical and digital distribution infrastructure supporting content delivery, marketing and promotional resources enhancing brand visibility and content promotion, resources supporting content creation and distribution.
Cost Structure
Description. Paramount Pictures incurs costs related to film production and development, including salaries for actors, directors, and production crews. Marketing and promotional expenses are essential for film promotion. Distribution costs cover theatrical releases, home entertainment, and digital distribution. Licensing fees may also apply in streaming agreements. Administrative and operational expenses support day-to-day business operations.
Analysis. Costs associated with Paramount Pictures’ operations include film production and development costs, including salaries for talent and production crews. Marketing and promotional expenses are invested in film promotion and brand visibility. Distribution costs encompass theatrical releases, home entertainment, and digital distribution, including licensing fees in streaming agreements. Administrative and operational expenses support the company’s daily business operations. Paramount manages costs while ensuring the quality of its content.
Examples. Costs related to film production and development (salaries for talent and production crews), marketing and promotional expenses for film promotion and brand visibility, distribution costs covering theatrical releases, home entertainment, and digital distribution (including licensing fees), administrative and operational expenses supporting daily business operations, cost management ensuring content quality.
Description. Paramount Pictures’ competitive advantage lies in its extensive film library and rich history in the entertainment industry. The company’s ability to produce a diverse range of films, from blockbusters to critically acclaimed titles, ensures a broad audience appeal. Licensing agreements with streaming platforms and TV networks contribute to its global reach. Collaborations with other studios and talent agencies strengthen its content portfolio. Paramount’s heritage, content diversity, and global distribution capabilities set it apart in the competitive film industry.
Analysis. Paramount Pictures’ competitive edge is rooted in its extensive film library and longstanding presence in the entertainment industry. The ability to cater to a wide range of audiences with diverse content, coupled with licensing agreements expanding global reach, enhances its competitive position. Collaborations with other studios and talent agencies enrich its content portfolio. Paramount’s heritage, content diversity, and global distribution capabilities differentiate it in the competitive film industry.
Examples. Extensive film library and longstanding presence in the entertainment industry, ability to cater to diverse audiences with a wide range of content, licensing agreements expanding global reach, collaborations with other studios and talent agencies enriching content portfolio, Paramount’s heritage, content diversity, and global distribution capabilities setting it apart in the competitive film industry.
Key numbersChecked 7 October 2026
$6.9 billionParamount Skydance reported total revenue of $6.9 billion for the second quarter of 2026, compared with…SEC EDGAR filings
$30 billionIn February 2026, Paramount Skydance said it expected 2026 total revenue of $30 billion, representing 4%…SEC EDGAR filings
100%As of the October 2026 Warner Bros. Discovery closing, the Ellison Family and RedBird Capital Partners are…SEC EDGAR filings
77.5%According to the October 2026 merger filing, entities controlled by the Ellison Family indirectly hold…SEC EDGAR filings
In one lineParamount is primarily owned by the Ellison Family and RedBird Capital Partners, which together are the sole holders of Paramount Class A Common Stock…
FourWeekMBABusiness EngineerAt a glance
Discovery closing, the Ellison Family and RedBird Capital Partners are the sole holders of Paramount Class A Common Stock, including 100% of the combined company's voting shares.
Holders of Class B Common Stock are not entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.
Some of the prominent brands under Paramount's umbrella include CBS, Paramount, Nickelodeon, MTV, Paramount+, and Pluto TV.
Layout refreshed 7 October 2026. The article text below is unchanged.
Why it mattersFrom the article
Paramount's heritage, content diversity, and global distribution capabilities set it apart in the competitive film industry.
With strong revenue generation and well-known media brands, Paramount remains a key player in the global media landscape.
Difference between Class A and Class B Stocks
Class A Common Stock:
Has voting rights, with each share entitled to one vote.
Record holders of Class A Common Stock can vote at the Annual Meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof.
Class B Common Stock:
Non-voting stock.
Holders of Class B Common Stock are not entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.
National Amusement
National Amusements is a privately-owned movie theater operator and mass media holding company, controlling shareholder of Paramount Global.
Founded by Michael Redstone in 1936 as Northeast Theater Corporation and was renamed National Amusements in 1959.
Acquired Viacom in 1986 and made several significant acquisitions, including Paramount Communications and Blockbuster Video.
Split Viacom into two publicly traded companies in 2005: CBS Corporation and the new Viacom.
In 2019, CBS Corporation and Viacom re-merged to form ViacomCBS, later renamed Paramount Global in 2022.
According to the 2025 annual report (Form 10-K), entities controlled by the Ellison Family indirectly hold approximately 77.5% of Paramount Skydance Corporation’s Class A common stock through their ownership interest in Harbor Lights Entertainment, Inc., the renamed National Amusements.
FourWeekMBABusiness EngineerTimeline, as stated in the article
1936
Founded by Michael Redstone in 1936 as Northeast Theater Corporation and was renamed National Amusements in 1959.
1986
Acquired Viacom in 1986 and made several significant acquisitions, including Paramount Communications and Blockbuster Video.
2005
Split Viacom into two publicly traded companies in 2005: CBS Corporation and the new Viacom.
2019
In 2019, CBS Corporation and Viacom re-merged to form ViacomCBS, later renamed Paramount Global in 2022.
2022
In 2019, CBS Corporation and Viacom re-merged to form ViacomCBS, which was later renamed Paramount Global in 2022.
2026
On 6 October 2026, Skydance Corporation (formerly Paramount Skydance Corporation, NYSE: SKYD) completed its acquisition of Warner Bros.
Ownership Structure of Paramount
Paramount is primarily owned by National Amusement, a privately-owned movie theater operator and mass media holding company.
National Amusement holds approximately 79.4% of the Class A common stock of Paramount Global, making it the controlling shareholder.
Other Major Shareholder
American investor Mario J. Gabelli, founder, chairman, and CEO of Gabelli Asset Management Company Investors, also holds a significant ownership stake in Paramount.
According to the 2025 annual report (Form 10-K), Harbor Lights Entertainment, Inc. (formerly National Amusements) holds 100% of Paramount Skydance Corporation’s Class A common stock following the Skydance transactions.
Paramount as a Media Powerhouse
Paramount is a media powerhouse comprising many well-known media brands.
In the second quarter of 2026, Paramount’s media brands collectively generated total revenue of $6.9 billion.
Some of the prominent brands under Paramount’s umbrella include CBS, Paramount, Nickelodeon, MTV, Paramount+, and Pluto TV.
Difference between Class A and Class B Stocks
Class A Common Stock:
Carries voting rights, with each share entitled to one vote.
Record holders of Class A Common Stock can vote at the Annual Meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof.
Class B Common Stock:
Class B Common Stock is non-voting.
Holders of Class B Common Stock are not entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.
National Amusement Background
National Amusements was founded by Michael Redstone in 1936 as Northeast Theater Corporation and was later renamed National Amusements in 1959.
The company acquired Viacom in 1986 and made several other significant acquisitions, including Paramount Communications and Blockbuster Video.
In 2005, National Amusements split Viacom into two publicly traded companies: CBS Corporation and the new Viacom.
In 2019, CBS Corporation and Viacom re-merged to form ViacomCBS, which was later renamed Paramount Global in 2022.
Overall, Paramount’s ownership structure and diverse media portfolio under the ownership of National Amusement showcase the company’s significant position in the media and entertainment industry. With strong revenue generation and well-known media brands, Paramount remains a key player in the global media landscape.
The revenue experienced a steady increase between 2018 and 2019, growing from $27.25 billion to $27.81 billion. In 2020, revenue was a noticeable decline to $25.28 billion, indicating a slowdown in growth. The trend reversed in 2021, with revenue bouncing back to $28.58 billion, surpassing 2019. The revenue continued its upward trajectory in 2022, reaching $30.15 billion, marking the highest revenue figure in five years. Despite the dip in 2020, Paramount’s revenue demonstrates a general growth trend over the five years.
Profits in 2018 were $3.46 billion but experienced a slight decline to $3.3 billion in 2019.
A more significant drop in profits occurred in 2020, falling to $2 billion.
In 2021, profits rebounded strongly to $4.38 billion, marking the highest profit figure in five years.
However, profits took a sharp downturn in 2022, decreasing to just $0.725 billion, representing a substantial decline compared to the previous years.
TV Media revenue decreased from $22.73 billion in 2021 to $21.73 billion in 2022, marking a decline of approximately 4.4%.
Direct-to-Consumer revenue experienced substantial growth, from $3.33 billion in 2021 to $4.9 billion in 2022, a rise of about 47.1%.
Filmed Entertainment revenue also increased, growing from $2.69 billion in 2021 to $3.7 billion in 2022, representing an increase of around 37.5%.
Eliminations representing intersegment transactions showed a slight increase in negative value from -$0.162 billion in 2021 to -$0.188 billion in 2022, indicating a higher level of intersegment revenue offsets.
While the TV Media segment experienced a decline, Direct-to-Consumer and Filmed Entertainment revenue streams showed significant growth, contributing to the overall increase in Paramount’s total revenue.
The number of Paramount+ subscribers in 2020 was 11.7 million.
There was a significant increase in subscribers in 2021, with the count rising to 32.8 million, representing a growth of approximately 180%.
The growth trend continued in 2022, with the subscriber count reaching 55.9 million, a further increase of about 70% compared to the previous year.
Paramount+ revenue in 2020 was $0.63 billion.
In 2021, the revenue more than doubled, reaching $1.35 billion, which indicates a significant increase in the platform’s performance.
The growth trend persisted in 2022, with revenue climbing to $2.77 billion, representing a growth of over 100% compared to the previous year.
Pluto TV’s revenue in 2020 was $0.56 billion.
In 2021, the revenue almost doubled, reaching $1.06 billion, which indicates a significant improvement in the platform’s financial performance.
The growth trend continued, albeit at a slower pace, in 2022, with revenue rising to $1.11 billion, representing an increase of about 4.7% compared to the previous year.
In 2020, Paramount’s revenue of $25.28 billion was approximately 2.12 times its content costs of $11.93 billion.
In 2021, the revenue increased to $28.58 billion, while content costs rose to $14.7 billion. The revenue was about 1.94 times the content costs during this year.
Comparing both years, the revenue-to-content-costs multiplier decreased from 2020 to 2021, indicating that the company’s content costs have increased faster than its revenue. This could result from investments in original content, increased licensing fees, or other content-related expenses.
Paramount is a Media powerhouse comprising many media brands, which generated total revenue of $6.9 billion in the second quarter of 2026, comprising brands like CBS, Paramount, Nickelodeon, MTV, Paramount+, Pluto TV, and many others.
Sources for the figures updated on 7 October 2026
SEC EDGAR filings (FY2025 Form 10-K (year ended 31 December 2025), primary)
Gennaro Cuofano is a CRO and tech executive who has worked in AI since late 2015, starting with bringing NLP, natural-language generation, voice and chatbot products to the marketing industry. His background is in law and finance: he holds a Master's degree in Law and an International MBA with an emphasis on corporate finance (LUISS Business School and the University of San Diego, 2012), and worked as a financial analyst at a real-estate investment firm in San Diego and as an assistant controller. His work focuses on business model strategy, business engineering and, more broadly, structural analysis: how companies make money, read from their own filings. He created FourWeekMBA and leads research there and at The Business Engineer, his newsletter on AI and business strategy, with over 95,000 subscribers and more than 1,000 published analyses. His writing has also appeared on Entrepreneur (for example, How to Digitize a Family Business in Europe) and HackerNoon. Find him on LinkedIn and Substack. See how we source.
